The first major departure of the PIF era is close.
Allan Saint-Maximin missed the win over Rangers on Tuesday and Eddie Howe has since confirmed the 26-year-old is in talks to leave Newcastle.
Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia are believed to want to pair the Frenchman with Manchester City treble winner Riyad Mahrez on opposite wings in what looks an exciting attacking line.
Saint-Maximin is perhaps the one big-name player already at the club when Howe arrived who has not benefited from his appointment, with regular first-team football hard to come by.
Harvey Barnes looks close to arriving as a replacement, typifying the ruthless nature of football at the top level.
Previously a key part of the team who just about managed to stay up during a bleak era for the club, the writing has been on the wall for a while.
The winger posted a cryptic Instagram message earlier this month and Daily Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards recently claimed the player has wanted to leave for a while.
Still, Howe has spoken on what’s going on behind the scenes.
Eddie Howe insists he has not fallen out with Allan Saint-Maximin ahead of move to Saudi Arabia
Indeed, speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, Howe has insisted he has not fallen out with Saint-Maximin and that player trading is simply something the club need to do.
“I don’t think he necessarily wants to leave,” he said.
“He’s probably in a very similar position to the one the club is in – he may feel it’s the right time for him to move.
“It’s very difficult for me to speak for him, but he hasn’t asked to leave. There’s been no issue between any of us coaches, the club and Maxi – we all love him – but it’s just the reality of how football is nowadays: you have to trade.”
Players leave top clubs, it’s something we have to get used to
Everything comes to an end.
Clearly, this is a rather new thing for Newcastle in the PIF era in that a big-name player is leaving St James’ Park, with much of the focus in the post-takeover era on arrivals.
Still, players leave top clubs all the time.
City have allowed Leroy Sane to depart and look like doing the same with Mahrez. Liverpool have let Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino walk out the door. Chelsea, meanwhile, had to sell Eden Hazard.
Making difficult decisions about players who carry a lot of emotional currency amongst supporters is, sadly, something clubs simply have to do.
With Barnes set to come in, it’s time to focus on the future.
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