26-year-old Newcastle man now ‘likeliest’ player to be sold after Tonali signing

Add as preferred source on Google

Sandro Tonali’s imminent arrival could spell the end of the road for Allan Saint-Maximin at Newcastle United.

Even though the two don’t play in the same position, Sandro Tonali‘s arrival from AC Milan could see Newcastle having to sell Allan Saint-Maximin according to The Northern Echo.

Tonali will become Newcastle’s highest earner when the deal is concluded this week which will put a strain on the budget.

Allan Saint-Maximin is Newcastle’s most sellable asset

So with Newcastle looking to strengthen several key positions this summer, there will have to be some outgoings, and while there are a few fringe players who will be sold, there’s one extremely popular first-teamer who could be on the chopping block.

Allan Saint-Maximin is Newcastle’s most sellable asset. He’s highly regarded in the footballing world for his amazing skill with the ball at his feet and his blistering pace, but he’s found himself in and out of the side under Eddie Howe.

In an emotional end-of-season post on social media, Saint-Maximin admitted last season was a tough one for him on a personal level with injuries and off-field difficulties. All of which will have played a part in his lack of game time last term.

However, there’s also a feeling that Saint-Maximin doesn’t fit with Howe’s style, although reports towards the end of the season had said that was starting to change.

The Athletic said last week that Maxi would have to be sold if the Magpies wanted to land James Maddison, but now the Northern Echo say that he may have to be moved on to free up room in the wage budget.

If that’s true it doesn’t exactly bode well for the rest of the transfer window, but there is an element of believability in that if any first-team player was likely to be sold this summer it would be Allan Saint-Maximin.

Losing Saint-Maximin will hurt but we have to let go of sentimentality

This will break the hearts of many a Newcastle fan who see him as the saviour during the dark days and believe he should be kept around on that basis alone.

If Eddie Howe can bring in a player who is more consistent and fits his style, then I have no problem with letting Maxi go. As much as I love him for what he did for us during those Steve Bruce days, we have to be prepared to let go of players in order to grow.

Even if he’s sold, the memories we have of him still remain, nobody can take those away, so there’s no point hitting the roof if he’s sold. We have to trust the process – especially as now there actually is one.