Some Newcastle United fans have been reacting on social media to reports by The Sun, claiming Everton have joined Crystal Palace in tracking Allan Saint-Maximin ahead of the summer transfer window.
It is suggested that Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti requested that Everton’s transfer department scouted Saint-Maximin during our FA Cup Fifth Round win over West Bromwich Albion, in which the Frenchman created one big chance to score and beat opposing players with three of his five attempted dribbles.
Ancelotti is planning a major rebuild at Goodison Park in the summer having taken over from Marco Silva midway through the campaign, and considers Saint-Maximin to offer greater value for money than someone like Wilfried Zaha.
Silva saw two offers for the Ivory Coast winger turned down last summer, while Palace are said to consider Saint-Maximin as a potential Zaha replacement if any side looks to test their resolve at the end of the season.
Financial Fair Play concerns on Merseyside has forced Ancelotti to consider players that would perhaps be on offer for more reasonable asking prices, with The Sun suggesting Saint-Maximin could be valued in the £30million bracket a year on from joining in a £16.5m plus £3.5m in add-ons transfer from OGC Nice.
How much would ASM be worth this summer?
£20m-39m
£40m-£59m
£60m-£79m
£80m+
Saint-Maximin is under contract at St. James’ Park until the summer of 2025 on a £40,000-per-week contract, which Everton would be expected to offer in excess of in any potential summer raid.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have also been linked with a move for the 22-year-old recently, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side said to see him as a potential replacement for Adama Traore.
Saint-Maximin scored his second Premier League goal on Saturday as we beat Southampton 1-0, while previously striking the back of the net twice in the FA Cup and being credited with four assists across 21 outings in all competitions.
He ranks fourth overall in the top-flight for successful dribbles with 80 (63%), per Sofa Score, while winning 114 ground duels and delivering six accurate crosses.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to Everton’s alleged interest in Saint-Maximin…
They’ll never catch him..see what I did there 😬 😂
— tom dodds (@tomdodds24) March 9, 2020
They can keep on running in that race all day long.
— thereal andrew young (@temperamentalan) March 8, 2020
the season when we went down moussa sissoko to spurs 30m, gini to liverpool 25m, if we stay up we would be looking for 60m upwards for ASM mark my words.
— Wayne heathwaite (@Wayneheathwaite) March 8, 2020
Never happen unless 80M
— Ginkoh_NUFC (@Ginkohro) March 8, 2020
If only we had him under contract for many years. 23 year old, settling into a new league Start the bidding at £70 million?
— Me (@newcastlefan55) March 8, 2020
So that will not be true!!!
— thompa (@heffreys) March 8, 2020
He signed a 6 year contract when he joined. Should sell him for anything less than 80mil
— MiggyAzalea (@James_Holstead) March 8, 2020