Newcastle United have high hopes for Allan Saint-Maximin.
Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce has told the Daily Mail that he thinks Allan Saint-Maximin will cause him ‘a few problems’, but thinks he’s a real talent.
The Magpies moved to land Saint-Maximin over the summer, luring the winger from Nice in a move that seemed very interesting given reports about Rafael Benitez’s stance.
The Mirror claimed that Newcastle had wanted Saint-Maximin for some time, but Benitez wasn’t keen on either him nor Joelinton; and the Magpies went and splashed the cash on both once Benitez had left the club.
Benitez seemingly had reservations about Saint-Maximin, and he certainly seems to be an enigma – both on and off the pitch.
The 22-year-old has been known for his Gucci headbands in the past, but also for his fantastic pace and dribbling ability, which we’ve already seen this season.
Saint-Maximin has been tricky and lively in his last couple of performances, having endured a frustrating start to the season due to injury problems.
He should play a key role against Wolverhampton Wanderers today, and boss Bruce has admitted that he thinks Saint-Maximin can ‘do something different’, hailing him for his unpredictability.
However, Bruce does feel that Saint-Maximin will cause him problems as he’s ‘daft’, even fining him for keeping his earrings in – and maybe those kind of issues are the kind of thing that put Benitez off in the first place, but if he can excel on the pitch, Newcastle fans will take him to the hearts.
“He’s only 22 and he’s got more outfits than I’ve seen,” said Bruce. “He’s different and I’m sure at times he’s going to cause me a few problems. But in all of that, deep down, he’s a decent kid. He’s okay, a bit different, but we all have to manage these different individuals, and he’s certainly one. He likes an ear-ring. He gives me £100 every other day when he forgets to take it out! In that respect, I’ve got a few quid off him already. But he’s a good kid, he’s all right. The players like him. He’s daft, he’s off the wall and he’s likeable.’”
“He is the one we can rely upon to do something different. Even the goal we scored against Manchester United, he picked it up and drove forward and within 10 yards, he’s beaten four of them. He does give us something off the shelf. He can cause anybody problems,” he added.
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