Newcastle United’s Allan Saint-Maximin in Talks to Leave Club for Al-Ahli
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that Allan Saint-Maximin is in talks to leave the club this summer. The 26-year-old winger was left out of Newcastle’s 2-1 victory over Rangers in their pre-season fixture on Tuesday and is set to miss the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
RMC Sport claim that Newcastle have agreed an initial €25 million (£21.5m) fee with Al-Ahli, who have already signed Edouard Mendy from Chelsea this summer. The Saudi Pro League side are now in direct talks with Saint-Maximin’s representatives over a contract and the winger has reportedly been offered a deal worth in excess of £200,000 a week.
Howe Comments on Saint-Maximin’s Potential Departure
“Allan is in discussions regarding a move to another club,” Howe said. “Nothing is confirmed, nothing is done. But that’s why he wasn’t here today. With Financial Fair Play you have to trade, for us we were stuck in a position where we could not trade players the other way. That’s how FFP works. We understand that. Maxi is a top player and we definitely don’t want to lose him we want to strengthen the group. Sometimes these things happen and we have to accept that.”
When asked if Saint-Maximin will travel with the squad to the United States, Howe said: “There are no plans for him to join us tomorrow but we will wait and see. There’s a time where he could end up with us again. If that is the case we’d love to welcome him back.”
Background on Allan Saint-Maximin
Allan Saint-Maximin joined Newcastle United from OGC Nice in 2019 and has since become a fan favorite at St James’ Park. The French winger has made 79 appearances for the club, scoring 11 goals and providing 13 assists. He was an integral part of Newcastle’s successful 2020/21 season, which saw them finish 12th in the Premier League.
Saint-Maximin has also represented France at the Under-21 level, making four appearances for Les Bleus. He was part of the squad that won the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship and was named in the Team of the Tournament.
Conclusion
It looks like Allan Saint-Maximin is set to leave Newcastle United this summer, with Al-Ahli reportedly agreeing a €25 million fee with the club. While it will be a difficult moment for Newcastle fans, they can take solace in the fact that they will receive a hefty transfer fee for one of their star players.
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