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Newcastle United in new talks to sign Allan Saint-Maximin – L’Equipe

5 years ago
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Newcastle United are making a renewed attempt to buy Allan Saint-Maximin according to reports on Monday morning.

The 22 year old winger has been linked with NUFC throughout the summer, as well as other Premier League clubs.

However, Nice’s valuation of 40m euros (£36m) was ridiculously over optimistic, even when clubs from the cash rich Premier League are allegedly keen.

Now though, L’Équipe report that the Ligue 1 club have accepted they will have to drop their valuation if they are to sell the under 21 French international this summer.

The issue has become more pressing as Patrick Vieira is desperate to make his own signings and time is running out.

Nice are in the middle of a takeover that is set to be formally completed in August but need to generate funds to buy players in the interim. Vieira is said to have identified Sofiane Boufal from Southampton and FC Lorient’s striker Alexis Claude-Maurice, with the Allan Saint-Maximin cash set to go towards funding those deals.

Like Newcastle, Nice are yet to buy a single player this summer. NUFC the only Premier League club yet to make a single signing.

The position as it stands according to L’equipe, is that Nice are prepared to now accept 25m euros (£22.5m) but Newcastle have so far only indicated they will go as high as 15m euros (£13.5m).

As to what is the proper valuation for Allan Saint-Maximin, it is the same as any player, how much another club is willing to pay.

Since joining from Monaco two years ago for £9m, the winger scored three Ligue 1 goals and got seven assists in his first season (2017/18), then six goals and three assists in the French league last season.

Decent but not stunning stats and Patrick Vieira also had a big falling out with the player, due to a perceived lack of commitment and workrate as last season went on, not scoring a single goal after January.

A deal is further complicated by the fact that Moncao are entitled to a 20% sell-on clause from any transfer fee that Nice receive.

The winger looks sure to move on in these remaining  days of the transfer window and with Newcastle desperate for better attacking options, interesting to see what they are prepared to offer for this 22 year old, if indeed he is on their wishlist.

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