Newcastle United are looking to tie up a deal for Nice winger Allan Saint-Maximin, with representatives from the club currently in France to try and thrash out the transfer, as reported by French TV station RMC, cited by Get French Football News.
The French outlet claimed via their channel on Thursday that managing director Lee Charnley has jetted out to the Mediterranean to finalise a deal, with the Magpies confident that an agreement can be reached.
It is understood that any deal for the 22-year-old would be worth around £16.4 million plus bonuses.
OPINION
If this is true, then it is brilliant news for the Magpies. They need another piece of the puzzle up front, and as far as young players with high potential go, Saint-Maximin is right up there. The 22-year-old was revelatory for Nice last year, completing 4.2 successful dribbles per match, as well as registering 2.2 shots on goal and 1.7 key passes [Whoscored]. He is exciting, tricky, and can be devastatingly direct with his lethal turn of pace, and the prospect of him tearing down one flank, Miguel Almiron flying down the other, and Joelinton waiting in the middle is a mouthwatering one indeed. If the fee is an initial £16 million, or thereabouts, that is an unusually good piece of business from the Magpies, and it’s almost enough to make you question how much those “bonuses” that are mentioned in the report would have to be. Nonetheless, bringing in a player of Saint-Maximin’s calibre could be the kind of deal the Magpies need to stave of their relegation concerns next term.
