Newcastle United could reportedly sell Allan Saint-Maximin this summer to help fund a move for Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes.
Saint-Maximin, 26, endured another injury-hit campaign, limiting him to just 12 Premier League starts last term. He hasn’t scored a competitive goal for the Magpies since last August, which has left the club to contemplate selling him this summer.
According to The Telegraph, Newcastle United are planning to table a bid for Harvey Barnes with the money they get from the sale of Allan Saint-Maximin.
Barnes, 25, was somewhat of a bright spark in an exceedingly dismal Leicester City side last season – one that suffered relegation on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign. A product of the Leicester City academy and since making his debut for the Midlands club in 2016, he has gone on to make 187 appearances, scoring 45 goals—including 13 Premier League strikes last term.
After the departures of Youri Tielemans and James Maddison, Barnes looks almost certain to exit the King Power in the coming weeks with Newcastle looking to match the Foxes’ £40m valuation.
Harvey Barnes to Newcastle—Should the Magpies sell Saint-Maximin to fund a move for him?
Eddie Howe is looking to bolster his squad ahead of Newcastle’s return to the Champions League in the upcoming campaign. So far this summer he has managed to bring in Italy international Sandro Tonali from AC Milan in a £55m move, but as the Magpies are working within a budget, he must sell before getting in new players.
Allan Saint-Maximin is probably the biggest name who could leave St James’ Park in this transfer window. Despite previously almost carrying the team at times in the past, it has not quite worked for the Frenchman in the last 18 months and Eddie Howe is willing to sell him amidst interest from Saudi Arabian clubs.
With that being said, Newcastle would do a wise job by selling Saint-Maximin and replacing him with Barnes. The 25-year-old has been a regular source of goals and assists for Leicester in recent seasons which would make him an instant upgrade on the flashy Saint-Maximin, whose inconsistency and injury problems have not allowed him to take his game to the next level. Barnes would provide pace, dynamism and directness to the Newcastle attack, whilst adding much-needed vital depth to their squad.
The one-cap England international has already agreed personal terms with Newcastle as he looks keen to leave Leicester and join Howe’s forces at St James’ Park. So, it is time for the Magpies to up the ante and offload Saint-Maximin, before going all out for the pursuit of Barnes.
