Official | French winger Allan Saint-Maximin leaves Newcastle for Al-Ahli | OneFootball

Newcastle United have this afternoon announced the departure of French winger Allan Saint-Maximin, who will now move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli.

The former Nice forward is the latest player to leave as part of the Gulf state’s lucrative offensive on European football this summer.

The Jeddah-based club are, like Newcastle, owned by PIF, the country’s sovereign wealth fund. They have also signed Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino and Édouard Mendy, while the squad also features former Montpellier and Saint-Étienne attacking midfielder Ryad Boudebouz.

Saint-Maximin leaves the Magpies after four seasons, during which he scored 13 goals in all competitions and played a role in the team’s fourth-place finish this past season, sealing a return to the Champions League. He had been under contract with the English side until 2026. Earlier reports had indicated that the Saudi side had submitted an offer worth €25m, while they were in talks with the player himself over a potential salary in excess of €12m.

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin