Allan Saint-Maximin: A struggle for consistent play
By Cade Cracas
Allan Saint-Maximin, the French winger for Newcastle United, has had a disappointing 2023 season.
Saint-Maximin is undoubtedly a talented player with his quick and skillful abilities while possessing an excellent dribbling ability. However, his performance this season has been sub-par. He has been inconsistent when healthy and on the field, struggling to deliver quality crosses and failing to create enough chances for his teammates.
This raises the question: does Saint-Maximin still have a spot on the Newcastle United roster, especially with Miguel Almiron finding solid form and the recent signing of Anthony Gordon?
Sain-Maximin is locked down by Newcastle United until the end of the 2025-2026 season, but that does not mean the team could not actively shop him to see what teams are willing to throw at the Magpies.
His current worth sits at roughly €35 million, which could warrant some heavy attraction for clubs looking for a speedy winger.
The only issue though is consistency.
Since the start of the 2023 Premier League season, he has scored just one goal through 17 games and has been unable to find a starting-caliber rhythm.
In recent contests, there have been crosses that have been sent in, with no execution inside the box. The only bright side of things came against Wolves, where he found some through balls and crosses that helped set his team up with a 2-1 lead.
The combination of Almiron’s form, Gordon’s recent arrival and other players looking for time to prove themselves has raised questions about Saint-Maximin’s role in the team. The 26-year-old winger has not been able to deliver when needed, and with the team struggling to score goals, changes need to be made.
Gordon is young, new to this team and likely to improve with game time. He has the potential to become a key player for the team, and his presence may force Saint-Maximin to improve his performance or risk losing his spot on the squad.
Newcastle United sits atop the Premier League standings as they hope to find a spot in the European League tournaments and they need their best players on the pitch if they are to avoid the drop out of the top 5.
There is no denying that Allan Saint-Maximin has the ceiling of being one of the best players in the Premier League. He has the ability to change games with his pace and skill with the ball, but his form this season has been far from what is expected of him. Newcastle needs players who can consistently perform at the highest level, and if Saint-Maximin is not providing that, then manager Eddie Howe will give other players the opportunity to do so.
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If you take a step back and look at the pieces within the Newcastle United starting 11, Saint-Maximin’s playstyle does not mesh well. Newcastle United needs players who can consistently perform at the highest level, and Allan Saint-Maximin has failed to do so this season. Will the team look to build around him, or will he even be on this team come next season?
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