‘Lazy and overweight’ - Jose Mourinho tears into Newcastle United favourite with brutal outburst

A frosty relationship took another twist when the Frenchman did not make the trip for tonight’s Europa League clash. Fenerbahce are travelling to Rangers aiming to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg.

However, the Turkish giants must do so without former Newcastle United talisman Saint-Maximin. Signed on loan from Al Ahli last summer, the 28-year-old initially impressed under Mourinho.

Saint-Maximin delivered five goal contributions in his first eight Super Lig games to showcase the form that made him a St James’ Park favourite. However, the winger has barely featured since the new year.

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Reports in January claimed a rift between Saint-Maximin and Mourinho as he became linked with another potential exit. Despite being on loan at Fenerbahce, NewcastleWorld understands Napoli were keen to sign him until the end of the campaign.

Complications in the deal caused negotiations to break down and Saint-Maximin’s relationship with Mourinho has soured further. When the former Chelsea manager played down the wideman’s omission from his Europa League squad, this prompted a cryptic social media post.

Saint-Maximin wrote: "When a lie takes the elevator, the truth takes the stairs. It takes longer, but it arrives in the end."

An irate Mourinho fired back in his usual witty manner to Turkish media last night. He told TRT Spor: "I didn't know Saint-Maximin had a gift for poetry. I'm not bad at it either. When a footballer works well, works hard and trains every day, he can be in good form and climb up the stairs.

"He doesn't need to use the lift. By contrast, if a player doesn't train well, turns up late, is overweight and isn't ready to play a match, then he needs to use the lift - as he'll soon get tired on the stairs."

Steve Bruce handled Allan Saint-Maximin differently at Newcastle United

Former Newcastle manager Steve Bruce famously enjoyed a warm relationship with Saint-Maximin. Admittedly, the 63-year-old was more lenient with the winger’s time-keeping than the Special One.

“Jack Grealish and Allan Saint-Maximin are the best two things I’ve ever seen on a training pitch,” Stephen Clemence, Newcastle’s first-team coach under Bruce, said in 2023. “Allan can do things at speed with a football which you just don’t think are even possible. He cuts inside, he has got the end product, there’s no doubt about that.

“The problem he’s found is that people know what he’s going to do more now and people are doubling up, tripling up on him but he can go past people so, so easily. He’s a nice lad as well, quite laid-back.

“Sometimes he used to annoy some of the lads as he turned up a little bit late. But he wasn’t out drinking at night. He’d be late because he’d be taking his kids to school. I can’t say I taught him too much because he’s just a natural talent.”

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