Newcastle United fan favourite Allan Saint-Maximin could be at risk of potentially being replaced in the January transfer window.
This has been suggested by Toon correspondent Aaron Stokes, who has been speaking on the Everything is Black & White podcast ahead of the winter window.
Things could not have gone much better for Newcastle in the opening stages of the 2022/23 campaign, as they enter the World Cup break in third.
However, one player who has not played a huge role is Saint-Maximin, with the Frenchman suffering injury issues that have forced him out of the side.
And even since returning, the winger has been unable to find a way back into the starting XI, which has some questioning his future on Tyneside.
Stokes said: “Maxi is the interesting one because everybody said about Maxi when he came in, ‘look, you don’t know about his personality, you don’t know about his demeanour, he’s sometimes a bit of trouble on the training pitch’.
“And actually, he came in and really proved everyone wrong because Howe’s only had good words to say about him. Videos of him in the summer where he was really, really putting in the work to get fit and it looked like he was buying into this project.
“But that was when, as you say, he was one of the main men. Now he’s not, and he’s fighting for that spot in the team.
“Look, I think he will put the graft in, but if he doesn’t, I don’t think Howe will have any doubt in [selling] him in January.”
TIF Thoughts on Stokes’ comments…
What is apparent is the Toon are able to compete at a high level without Saint-Maximin, which is something they may not have thought at the end of last season after his return of 10 goal involvements.
Should Newcastle cash in on ASM?
Yes
No
We think the current situation at Newcastle is something the fans will have craved for years, where someone of such significance to the fans in Saint-Maximin is unable to return from injury and walk back into the squad.
And we think this will be a big test to see how the Frenchman handles this, as he could well shy away from the challenge and look for a way out.
However, it could also bring out the best in him by pushing during this World Cup break and proving to Eddie Howe that he is deserving of a spot in the starting XI.