Luke Edwards has been speaking to the Gallowgate Shots podcast and has been talking about the signings that Newcastle made last summer.
The Daily Telegraph reporter has claimed that the Toon’s former manager Rafael Benitez was not keen on Allan Saint-Maximin.
Here is what he said to say in full about the issue of Saint-Maximin and Benitez.
“Let’s not forget, Rafa Benitez didn’t want Saint-Maximin.
“So, it wasn’t just Joelinton that he didn’t want, and this gets fudged in the Rafa love-in, as I call it.
“I don’t want to get bogged down and have a go at Rafa, but he didn’t just didn’t want Joelinton, so we always talk here about how he doesn’t want Joelinton – he didn’t want Saint-Maximin either.”
This is an interesting reveal by Edwards, and it suggests that if Benitez had stayed as the Toon’s boss, then Newcastle would not have signed the 23-year-old.
Who would you rather have?
Saint-Maximin
Benitez
TIF Thoughts…
Saint-Maximin was signed for £16.5m, and though he has only provided two goals and one assist in the league for the Toon, he has earned an average rating of 7.18/10 for his performances (as per WhoScored).
As well as this, he has delighted Toon fans with his audacity on the football pitch and the fact he seems to have fallen in love with Tyneside.
His Twitter activity is also brilliant, and a quick look through his timeline will reveal a player who knows how to use social media.
If what Edwards is saying is true, if Benitez had stayed, Newcastle may not have signed Saint-Maximin, who has been a source of joy for Newcastle all season, in Edwards’ opinion.
Joelinton might have struggled in the Premier League, but the 23-year-old Frenchman has made a positive start to his Magpies career, and it is interesting to know that he might not have ended up on Tyneside if Benitez had stayed on as Newcastle boss.