Newcastle United have seen their hand forced this summer.
Not only are Newcastle reluctantly selling Yankuba Minteh before he’s even played a game for the club, Elliot Anderson looks set to follow.
Eddie Howe did not want the academy graduate to leave but the 21-year-old has seemingly accepted a move to Nottingham Forest as the Toon look to raise funds to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability (PSR) rules.
It, of course, is a shame to see two talented young players leave St James’ Park. In an ideal world, a club with huge ambition should be holding onto developing talents but, sadly, the financial reality means hard decisions must be made.
Newcastle have struggled to sell players for a while now. Two of those they are finding it hard to shift are Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron, though former teammate Allan Saint-Maximin has now come out in defence of one of them.
Almiron, after all, reportedly rejected a move away to Saudi Arabia but Saint-Maximin does not want the “unique” star criticised.
Allan Saint-Maximin responds after Miguel Almiron criticism
Almiron was criticised on X (formerly Twitter) for not leaving in January, meaning Newcastle had to sell other players this summer in order to raise funds.
It’s worth mentioning that if Miguel Almiron didn’t refuse a £25million move to Saudi Arabia in January, #NUFC wouldn’t find themselves in the PSR mess that they do today. 💰
Suppose you could say the same about Yankuba Minteh refusing a £40m move to Lyon last week, too. 🤷♂️… pic.twitter.com/9KQJXKHNyl
— Magpie Media (@MagpieMediaX) June 29, 2024
Saint-Maximin, who left last summer, was cited as an example of a player who departed for the good of the club.
However, the Frenchman responded in support of Almiron, writing: “I know this message is meant to be positive towards me, but every situation is different.
“Please show gratitude and respect to Miggy, he’s such a good person who has always given his all for Newcastle.”
Miguel Almiron does not have to leave Newcastle if he doesn’t want to
It might be nice to see a player who struggled at times last season leave ahead of a talented young player but Almiron is under no pressure to leave Newcastle.
Moving, particularly to Saudi Arabia, is obviously a huge decision for him and his family. He has a contract both he and the club agreed to and does not have to make sweeping changes to his life just because it might help benefit Newcastle’s PSR situation.
That’s not to say he shouldn’t leave this summer but is under no obligation to.
Frustrating as it may be, players are human beings. They have lives.
It’s not all about PSR…
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