Former Newcastle United winger David Ginola has today given his thoughts about Allan Saint-Maximin, amid reports linking him with a summer exit from the club.
It has been claimed last night by the Daily Mail that the Magpies could cash on in the Frenchman.
Despite the 25-year-old being adored by most supporters, the club would apparently sell for around £50 million.
The funds would then be reinvested into the transfer market.
Apparently, Aston Villa are among the teams keeping an eye on the situation.
Saint-Maximin did sign a six-year deal with the club in 2020. But it seems Newcastle could still offload for the right price this summer.
The claims are certainly bold.
Saint-Maximin has been a shining light for the club since his arrival from Nice in the summer of 2019.
He has often the source of inspiration for Newcastle with his ability to bamboozle defenders and provide moments of magic.
Just recently though, Saint-Maximin picked up an injury and was out of the picture.
While he was unavailable, the Magpies actually did perfectly OK.
Some have spoken about Newcastle perhaps being more cohesive without the talented star.
Today on Sky Sports ahead of Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle, Ginola gave his verdict on Saint-Maximin.
He said: “I’m not sure if Newcastle wants to sell him. Or he wants to go and find something new.
“What is interesting is that Newcastle is a new project with the new investors. I think you need to keep on board your best assets. He’s definitely the jewel in the crown these last two years.
“If you talk to the fans, Allan is the one who gives a bit of excitement.”
Newcastle would be fine without Saint-Maximin, but it would be a risk to offload
Realistically, Newcastle wouldn’t be any kind of trouble if they sold Saint-Maximin.
However, it would be a risk to cash in on him.
At the end of the day, very few players are capable of doing some of the things he does on a football pitch.
He’s a very special talent on his day, and capable of winning games on his own.
Maybe the team is more cohesive when he doesn’t play. But Saint-Maximin is still young and has time to adapt to new ways of playing.
Selling him would certainly not be a popular decision with most fans. He’s very much a player you pay your hard-earned money to watch play, so him departing would be a huge shame.
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