Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Manchester City - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - August 21, 2022 Newcastle United's Allan Saint-Maximin reacts after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has backed Allan Saint-Maximin to leave Newcastle United in the summer after they signed Anthony Gordon from Everton.
The Lowdown: Exit-linked
Saint-Maximin was linked with an exit towards the end of the January transfer window, but he ended up staying at Newcastle.
They ended up splashing £45m on Everton’s Gordon, suggesting that the Frenchman may fall down the pecking order at St. James’ Park, and could be linked with an exit once again in the summer.
The Latest: Summer exit backed
Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson has backed Saint-Maximin to leave in the summer, claiming that Gordon has been signed to ‘replace’ him:
“I would say I would be surprised if they let him go but there is a reason why they have brought Gordon in though.
“They pushed hard and got it through. They wouldn’t have spent all that money on him unless they thought he was going to be a regular in the first team.
“I think Saint-Maximin will be looking elsewhere. It is a shame because when he’s on the top of his game, he is amazing. He is a better player than Gordon in my opinion.
“Gordon has been signed to replace Saint-Maximin. He has not been signed to play alongside him. I think that is a move that we will see happen in the summer.”
The Verdict: Time to go?
Saint-Maximin has seen his game time fairly limited so far this season, having made only five starts in all competitions, with four of those coming in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).
As Robinson alludes to, the North East club have not spent £45m on Gordon to sit on the bench, which means that Saint-Maximin’s game time is likely to become even more limited.
The 25-year-old has made an impact in games when coming off of the bench, as none of his team-mates average more dribbles per match than him in the Premier League, and his contract on Tyneside does not run out until 2026.
However, given his age and contract situation, the Magpies could still demand a sizeable fee for Saint-Maximin, and so should consider selling him this summer and invest the money in other positions.
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