Sports'Very valuable asset' - Pundit hints at 'clever' Newcastle move over player likened to Ginola
Former Manchester City and England defender Danny Mills has suggested that Newcastle United awarded Allan Saint-Maximin with a new deal to ensure his value rockets in case of a potential move away.
The 23-year-old put pen to paper on a new six-year deal recently. That is thought to have increased his wages to around £70,000-a-week, as per Chronicle Live, rightfully making Saint-Maximin one of the Magpies highest earners behind new summer signing Callum Wilson, who is on around £100,000-a-week, as per Football Insider.
Mills comments suggest ulterior motive
Saint-Maximin has been something of a revelation at St James’ Park since arriving from Nice in the summer of 2019. The winger has added dynamism to the Magpies’ attack, averaging 4.7 dribbles per game last term, as well as 1.2 shots (via Sofascore). His end product was sometimes lacking with the 23-year-old missing four big chances and losing possession 12.7 times a game, via Sofascore.
So far this term, the winger has upped his end product though, averaging an 88% passing accuracy and giving away the ball just 9.8 times per match, via Sofascore. That kind of improvement if sustained could potentially lead to interest in the forward. The 23-year-old had been linked with Tottenham Hotspur and PSG in the past.
Speaking to Football Insider, Mills suggested that the Magpies could potentially have extended his deal simply to raise his market value, revealing that would protect the fee they would receive were a bigger club to come in for him.
He said: “He’s done very, very well because he’s exciting and offers something different.
“What happens is that other clubs start to go ‘Ooh, let’s have a little look, we quite like him, I think he might suit us.’
“Newcastle have been quite clever and thought ‘Right, let’s tie him down, let’s get it done and dusted and then if somebody does want to buy him and take him away from us then we’ve got a very valuable asset’ because he’s been tied down for a long-term period.”
Saint-Maximin is priceless for Newcastle
Magpies fans will have no doubt already suspected what Mills is hinting at, but Newcastle should do all they can to keep hold of Saint-Maximin. Keeping hold of a player with the 23-year-old’s ability is integral to any hopes they have of progressing. The winger has qualities which would be very challenging to replace with the money they would likely receive for him, even if it is much larger than the fee they stumped up to sign him.
Bruce has recently likened him to Newcastle icon David Ginola, and he could become that much of influential figure on the club if he stays around for the remainder of his six-year deal. The Magpies would simply not be able to replace him given their poor transfer business in recent years.
Toon Army, would Newcastle be able to replace Saint-Maximin if he left? Let us know with a comment below!
The post Newcastle United: Danny Mills hints at Newcastle intentions in Allan Saint-Maximin deal appeared first on The Transfer Tavern.
Top Men's Dating Offers - Updated For 2020
The Devotion System - Make Men Obsess Over You
Vertical Jump Training: Vert Shock. Re-bill+upsell+insane Conversions
Watch live here
Comments