Former Premier League boss Neil Warnock believes Allan Saint-Maximin is leaving Newcastle United after the winger’s controversial interview, speaking to talkSPORT (5 May, 9.20am).
Before the appointment of Eddie Howe, Newcastle almost looked like a one-man team. Now, Saint-Maximin looks like the odd-man out. How times have changed in this most fickle of games.
The mercurial Frenchman’s influence and importance has diminished quite dramatically since the transformative January arrival of Bruno Guimaraes, coupled with the unexpected reinvention of Joelinton.
Since the turn of the year, Saint-Maximin has just one goal and one assist. And the former Nice whizzkid has not really turned on the style since an ‘unplayable’ performance – to use Frank Lampard’s description – against Everton nearly three months ago.
Is Allan Saint-Maximin leaving Newcastle United?
Saint-Maximin appeared to lay the blame for his lack of assists at the door of his Newcastle team-mates in an interview with SoFoot. And Warnock would not be surprised if we are seeing the last of him in those black-and-white stripes.
“I think there’s more that’s gone on behind the scenes. They’re obviously talking about selling him now whereas, at the start of the season, he would’ve been the first one on the team-sheet,” muses the former Middlesbrough and QPR boss.
“(Newcastle) are looking to the future. I do think him saying that, he’ll already know his time is limited. He’ll not be too bothered about upsetting anybody in the dressing room, his team-mates.”
The Daily Mail claim that Newcastle could sell Saint-Maximin, albeit for a hefty £50 million. Leandro Trossard, Brennan Johnson and Moussa Diaby are all potential replacements.
Allan Saint-Maximin out, Moussa Diaby in at Newcastle?
“In fairness to him, especially before the new manager came in, he was their only hope,” Warnock adds. “He was the only one carrying the ball, who could beat people, who could get a free-kick, get a goal or cause problems.
“He’s been carrying them for the best part of six months. He’s not like a (Sadio) Mane – he’s not a team player like Mane – and he’ll go somewhere else and kiss the badge, won’t he? I think he’s been told they (Newcastle) might be making a change. Or it might be better for him to go.
“I think they’ll know they’ll get decent money for him because he’s got ability and they can reinvest.”
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