Allan Saint-Maximin answers Newcastle United fans’ Marcus Thuram transfer demand

Allan Saint-Maximin has admitted to chatting about Newcastle United with close friend Marcus Thuram.

Coincidentally, the Magpies have been linked with a move for the forward, who could leave Borussia Monchengladbach in January for as little as £10million ahead of his contract expiring in the summer.

And in the event that United were to approach Thuram, the 25-year-old is already familiar with the club - thanks to Saint-Maximin.

Saint-Maximin and Thuram have represented France at under-17s, under-20s and under-21s level together, while they both played in Boulogne-Billancourt’s youth academy.

“Yeah, I will be honest, I have a chatted with him (about Newcastle),” Saint-Maximin told reporters in Riyadh last week. “For me, he’s a great player. I’ve known this guy a long time. I’ve been playing football with him when I was very young. I know all his family. He has great parents. He’s an incredible guy.”

Unfortunately for Saint-Maximin, he is yet to match Thuram’s achievement of representing the France senior team. The former Nice winger had his sights set on a place in the World Cup squad before a hamstring injury in August ended all-hope of that.

Nevertheless, as France prepare to take on Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Sunday’s grand final, Saint-Maximin will be supporting his country and close friends Thuram, Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.

Saint-Maximin continued: “When I see that he’s scored maybe nine, 10 goals in Bundesliga, and he had a call-up for the French national team, and he’s in a great position to make have the chance to win the World Cup, as I want my country to win. When I see that, I just think ‘wow’. I don’t feel sad, because I’m happy for them and for him.”

“I missed the first World Cup, and now it’s the second one, but I didn’t have the feeling to feel bad, with really bad emotion. When you love your country, the manager has to make a choice. Now they maybe win again.

“I will just to always give my best, and I’m sure with the quality I have, one day I will be able to have the chance. I’m sure when I get my chance, I will show what I’m capable of doing.”

After Saint-Maximin posted a message to Thuram on social media saying ‘so proud of you’ earlier this week, Newcastle fans were quick to react.

“Get him to the Toon Maxi,” replied one fan, while another said “He needs to join you at NUFC Allan. Think you need to have a conversation.”