Forget Bruno: Mike Ashley sealed dream Newcastle deal in "breathtaking" £16.5m gem - opinion

Newcastle United have been subject to plenty of attention over recent weeks regarding their January transfer window activity, the first under the ownership of PIF.

The additions of midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon and right-back Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid were the standout deals struck by the Magpies during the month and they should certainly boost Eddie Howe’s chances of avoiding relegation.

However, there are other players already in Newcastle’s squad who were signed under the much-maligned Mike Ashley regime who have proven to be bargains, with Allan Saint-Maximin arguably top of that particular list.

The Frenchman was signed from Ligue 1 outfit Nice in August 2019 for a fee of £16.5m, which was reported to rise to £20m with add-ons, and he has been a revelation since.

Labelled “breathtaking” by Gary Neville earlier this season, Saint-Maximin has hardly missed a game since moving to the northeast, making 79 appearances for Newcastle whilst scoring 12 goals and registering 14 assists, averaging a goal involvement every 3.04 games.

However, his return in the Premier League this season is slightly better, with his five goals and three assists in 21 appearances amounting to a goal involvement every 2.63 games, which suggests that the 24-year-old’s stock is only going to rise even further. Moreover, according to SofaScore, the winger is averaging 4.3 dribbles per game with a success rate of 63%, whilst maintaining a 76% passing accuracy.

The Tyneside outfit have a real gem on their hands, as can be seen by the changes in the Frenchman’s market value during his two-and-a-half-year spell in the northeast.

Having been signed for an initial £16.5m, Saint-Maximin was worth £22.5m soon after joining Newcastle