Newcastle star has ‘head turned’ by Chelsea, Tottenham as door opened for £40m sale

Will Ford
Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin

Newcastle star Allan Saint-Maximin has reportedly had his ‘head turned’ by interest from Chelsea and Tottenham.

The Magpies are said to be willing to consider offers of around £40m for the winger, who is thought to want increased wages.


READ MORE: Does it actually really matter if you get your transfer business done early?


He currently earns around £40,000-per-week, with Newcastle wary of breaking their wage structure to accomodate Saint-Maximin.

Both Chelsea and Spurs are sniffing around, and Saint-Maximin is warming to the idea of a move to London to earn more money.

The Daily Mail claim his ‘head has been turned’ by the interest, though neither club are willing to meet Newcastle’s valuation.

Saint-Maximin – who is under contract at St James’ Park until 2026 – has 12 goals and 16 assists to his name for Newcastle in 91 appearances since his £16m move from Nice in the summer of 2019.

He’s become a fan favourite in his time in the Premier League, and certainly isn’t short on confidence, and believes he can one day win the Ballon d’Or.

He said in May: “When I talk about the Ballon d’Or, it’s a dream. I think any player dreams of winning the Ballon d’Or. It’s a kid’s dream.

“Of course, I am very far from the Ballon d’Or at the moment, but in terms of quality, I think I’m able to do it.”

Saint-Maximin is uncapped for France and says that he is aware of how hard it is for him to break into the star-studded squad.

“We know the quality of the France team. There are players of very, very high level,” he added.

“We even see it with a player like (Christopher) Nkunku who performed really well, whether in the Champions League or at the club, who still took a lot of time before being called up.

“It means that the coach is very demanding, that it is not just a question of statistics or qualities. I also think the coach is thinking about how a new player will be able to incorporate himself into the group and how he will be able to help the France team play better football.

“So I think that when I have ticked all these boxes, maybe I will have the chance to finally be selected.”

On what he needs to do to break into Didier Deschamps’ team, Saint-Maximin added: “I know it’s all about work. In any case, I will continue to work. I will continue to perform well and help my club.

“It’s hard not to think about it [the World Cup]. It remains an objective for any French person to represent his country, to compete in major competitions like this.”