Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has admitted that the club may be forced to sell winger Allan Saint-Maximin due to the pressures of Financial Fair Play (FFP).
The French winger, who is reported to be a £30 million target for Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli, was unavailable for Newcastle's 2-1 pre-season friendly victory at Scottish side Rangers on Tuesday.
And Howe revealed after the game that the player looks set for a move away from the Premier League club.
“He's in early discussions over a potential move away. That's why he wasn't here,” Howe said.
“It's doubtful he'll join us on the tour of America. I don't think Maxi necessarily wants to leave, but he may feel it's the right time for him to move.
“It's difficult for me to speak for him, but he hasn't asked to leave. There's been no issue between him and any of us coaches. We all love him.
“If he does leave, we'd lose him with a very heavy heart. He's someone we love working with, he's a difference-maker, we've really had a strong working relationship, and it'll be sad if he leaves.
“When I spoke to him on Monday, there was actually a lot of emotion between us,” Howe added. “I don't want to speak for Allan but when a player has done very well for you, which Allan has for me, I'm very grateful for every player that commits and gives their all for the team.”
Saint-Maximin joined the Magpies from Ligue 1 side Nice for £16.5 million in 2019 and quickly established himself as a cult figure with fans for his electric pace and dribbling skills.
But the 26-year-old struggled with injuries last campaign and regularly found himself watching from the substitute's bench as Newcastle secured a fourth-place finish and a place in the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.
The Tyneside club have spent more than £300 million since being taken over by a Saudi Arabian-led consortium in October 2021 and now have to consider selling players in order to comply with FFP spending restrictions.
They have already forked out around £60 million to bring in AC Milan and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali this summer and are also strongly linked with a move for £40 million-rated Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes.
Newcastle 2022/23 season ratings
But before any potential new signings can be made, players will have to be shipped out.
“Maxi is the player that's generating the interest,” said Howe. “FFP is a new dynamic which really came to the fore after my first window here when we knew it would impact us.
“Player trading is a key part of it – you can't hit it, if you don't trade. We're forced to trade a player this window.
“If the deal didn't go through, I'd be delighted. It would obviously impact our ability to bring any more players in, and then we potentially might have to sell another player. That's the way that Financial Fair Play has hit us.”
Tonali, meanwhile, made his first appearance the Magpies in Tuesday's victory in Scotland that saw Miguel Almiron and Harrison Ashby scoring Newcastle's goals that sandwiched a Sam Lammers finish for Rangers.
And his new manager was “very impressed” with the debut of the 23-year-old midfielder. “He brought everything I thought he would bring in that first 45 minutes,” Howe said.
“Calm, composed, technically high level, good relationships with the players around him.
“He looked at home in a black and white shirt so it was a great start for him.”
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A Prayer Before Dawn
Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
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Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
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What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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