Newcastle United have been leagues above the previous standard since Eddie Howe's arrival two years ago, having turned consistent relegation battles into a fight for European football and success on the continental scene.
The PIF takeover has, of course, been crucial to the transformation, but the Magpies are not the only team in England to boast affluent wealth, and the way that the club has matched monetary value with diligence and implementation has been commendable.
Having escaped relegation with some tremendous form in the second half of the 2021/22 season, last year Newcastle transcended their past performances with sustained brilliance across the campaign, finishing fourth in the Premier League ahead of teams such as Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea.
And this season, despite a three-match skid in the early phase, the Magpies are currently situated in sixth place and impressing with their performances, four points off Liverpool in fourth.
The new season has seen several exciting additions join the fold, but one former star, Allan Saint-Maximin, now plies his trade elsewhere after being shipped on in July after four years.
Why Newcastle sold Allan Saint-Maximin
Having signed for Newcastle from French side OGC Nice for an initial £16.5m in 2019 with Steve Bruce as the manager, Saint-Maximin established himself as one of the most exciting wingers in the Premier League, praised for his "breathtaking" performances by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville.
After 124 appearances, Howe made the decision this summer to grant his departure, and when Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli came calling, he was sold for around £23m.
The 26-year-old whiz offered a very distinctive dimension to the Tyneside club but he was not the most consistent of attackers, and given that the electric Anthony Gordon was signed from Everton in January it isclear that Howe had prepared for his exit.
Season
Apps
Goals
Assists
22/23
31
1
5
21/22
37
5
5
20/21
26
3
4
19/20
30
4
7
Statistics sourced via Transfermarkt
As is delineated in the table above, for all of his fleet-footed brilliance, Saint-Maximin never quite chanelled the level of prolificness to cement a starting berth in Howe's expansive, dreamy, vision.
Tricks and weaves from speedsters of Saint-Maximin's ability can threaten the calmest, most immovable of defenders, but there will always come a time when igniting the spark in the final and decisive moment calls for incisive action.
The Frenchman did not marry the facets well enough to win Howe over, and he opted to cash in and replace him with Harvey Barnes, who joined from relegated Leicester City in a £38m deal.
Barnes, while quick and skillful, plays a more direct game and relies on his end product to impress, having scored 13 Premier League goals last season and posting a goal and an assist on his Magpies debut in August.
As per FBref, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90 to illustrate this fact.
But injury struck and the Englishman has been ruled out indefinitely after sustaining an ankle issue in September, not scheduled to return for some time yet.
That unwelcome scenario is compounded by the recent shoulder injury to Jacob Murphy, whose industriousness has left him "so important" to Howe's side, according to The Athletic's Chris Waugh; while a timeframe has not yet been provided, Howe has expressed worry over the extent of the injury.
Such unfortunate circumstances inevitably lead to poignancy over the sale of Saint-Maximin, who would be an important component for the injury-stricken Toon at present.
Allan Saint-Maximin's statistics this season
The 5 foot 8 forward has impressed in the Saudi Pro League so far, plundering two goals and assists apiece from nine appearances – all starts – but a cruel twist of fate has recently seen the £226k-per-week phenom suffer minor ligament damage and now he too faces a spell on the sidelines.
As per Sofascore, he has complemented his direct return with some pretty impressive metrics thus far, completing 86% of his passes, taking 2.1 shots and making 1.8 key passes per game, and succeeding with 59% of his frequent dribbles.
Once hailed as a “wing wizard” by 90min's Graeme Bailey, Saint-Maximin is certainly bringing the magic and while he would likely not be the most prolific of members of the St. James' Park squad right now, he boasts core attributes that would allow him to fill in and play a big part.
Ranking among the top 7% of positional peers in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the past 365 days for assists, the top 14% for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for progressive passes, and the top 1% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, he clearly offers the skills requisite for success under a manager such as Howe.
His four direct goal contributions actually surpass that of an ever-present member of the Newcastle squad this season, with Miguel Almiron not quite enjoying his richest vein of goalscoring form this season despite maintaining his impressive work rate and intensity.
Miguel Almiron's statistics this season
Last year, Almiron really came into his own after years of ebbing and flowing from form, and he scored 11 times and supplied four assists, with eight strikes coming in a blistering ten-match period in the Premier League, leading journalist Josh Bunting to remark at his “sensational” rise.
This season, the Paraguayan has scored three times from nine appearances across all competitions, and while he has been impressive, the deluge of injuries now demands an upswing in his cutting edge.
The £60k-per-week ace is among the crispest passers of the ball in his position, ranking among the top 11% of positional peers for pass completion per 90, but his clinical touch has been lacking a bit since last season's vibrant purple patch.
Saint-Maximin, of course, hardly trumps the 29-year-old in output but he is outperforming him this season – with one more goal contribution – and combining both his direct threat with a creative flair; Almiron is only creating 0.4 key passes per game in the Premier League this term.
Whether Howe rues the sale of the former star is questionable, after all, he was the one that permitted his departure, but there is no doubt that Saint-Maximin would be a valuable asset amid the current injury crisis.
