A new-look Newcastle United side have a few issues in their squad that need to be resolved pretty soon.
The new manager Steve Bruce is already looking at potential additions to the squad, and has been linked with some exciting names recently. And one player they are now interested in is French youngster Allan Saint-Maximin.
A transfer target for Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Watford, the 22-year old could cost just €25 million, after Les Aglons dropped his price to try and fund other additions to their squad, according to French outlet L’Equipe.
The Magpies are ready to pay up to €15 million, which might not be enough to land the player. So should they meet his valuation?
Saint-Maximin and His Career
Having started his senior career with St Etienne, Saint-Maximin made just 12 league appearances at the club before being snapped up by AS Monaco in 2015. He spent both his seasons with Monaco on loan at two different clubs, before settling in Nice in 2017.
In his second season at the club, Saint-Maximin registered six goals and three assists in 34 league starts and was one of the most impressive players at the club.
He was used mainly as a striker, but Saint-Maximin also put in some impressive numbers playing on the left-wing and also on the right-wing and this versatility makes him a huge asset for any club.
An excellent dribbler, who loves to have the ball at his feet, the 22-year old is a decent finisher, but his biggest threat is his positioning in the final third.
He usually finds the right place in attack, can find the back of the net with ease and his attributes will certainly help him make an impact in the Premier League.
Right Man For Newcastle United?
Saint-Maximin will cost around €25 million and at that price, he is expected to lead that line for the club next season. With Salomon Rondon, Joselu and Ayoze Perez no longer at the club, Bruce has Dwight Gayle and Yoshinori Muto as the only options to lead the attack next season.
Saint-Maximin may not be a world-beater, but he is certainly a player who will walk into the first team above Gayle and could form a decent partnership with Muto. His experience of 110 Ligue 1 appearances will help him make an impact on the squad at St James’ Park.
The Magpies need to sign more than one striker to get the better of the English fixture list so they might be tempted to sign a more established name. But Saint-Maximin could be a real game-changer and is a risk worth taking.
