Allan Saint-Maximin sends message to Newcastle United target who paid shock North East visit

Allan Saint-Maximin has sent a birthday message to one of Newcastle United’s rumoured transfer targets.

Since the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, PCP Partners and RB Sports & Media bought the Magpies from Mike Ashley in October 2021, Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele is among the superstars to be regularly linked.

The France international, who turns 26 today, enters the final year of his contract this summer and it is unclear if he will extend his stay at Camp Nou, although recent reports have suggested he has been offered a new deal.

It was claimed by 90min last month that Newcastle intermediaries briefly met with the 26-year-old during his trip to the North East in March. Dembele, close friends with Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, made a shock visit to the Stadium of Light to watch their defeat to Sheffield United.

The likelihood of Dembele rocking at St James’ Park any time soon, however is slim, despite being mates with Saint-Maximin. The pair represented France at youth level together.

Magpies head coach Eddie Howe dismissed speculation linking the club with moves for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. Dembele’s profile falls into a similar bracket.

“It doesn’t frustrate me,” Howe said. “Those two players are unbelievable players. We are linked with different names. I know what direction I want to take the team in and what we can and can’t do in the transfer market. A lot of the names will not be accurate.”

He added: “That kind of speculation has been there from day one since the takeover, really. Naturally, everyone has then assumed the biggest names in world football will be going to Newcastle. Now we’ve not recruited that way.

“I think financially, we can’t recruit that way at the moment, but also we have to bring the right people and the right players into the group.

“I will say the transfer market is such a complex decision, you can’t just pick a name and bring them in. There’s got to be a lot of thought going into what we’re doing both financially and looking a the players.”

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