Howe insists Saint-Maximin has ‘long-term future’ at Newcastle

Eddie Howe insists Allan Saint-Maximin has a “long-term future” at Newcastle, amid rumours linking him with a move away from St James’ Park.

The former Bournemouth both also says he cannot afford to be caught up in the emotion of the Magpies’ fight for Premier League survival.

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Newcastle looked to have dragged themselves to the brink of safety with an eight-game unbeaten run which included six wins following the turn of the year.

But they sit just seven points clear of the drop zone as a result of three successive defeats and Burnley’s 3-2 victory over Everton on Wednesday.

A difficult run-in gets underway on Friday evening when they entertain Wolves at St James’ Park.

But Howe, who was keeping both feet firmly on the ground as the most optimistic of fans contemplated an unlikely push for Europe just a few weeks ago, remains similarly measured as the pessimists start to fret.

He said: “Look, I embrace the wins and I love that positive feeling, and I want to see other people happy, I want to see our supporters enjoying success. That’s my motivation to do the job.

“But I don’t think it’s healthy for me to get caught up in it and become a person of extreme emotion, I don’t think that’s going to help my players at all, so staying calm, using my brain to think logically and intelligently, I think, are the things that I need.

“When we went on our unbeaten run, I was the same, probably sat here and you’re thinking, ‘Come on, give us a bit more’. But then on the other side of it, I’m exactly the same.

“It doesn’t mean that I don’t feel the emotion because I do. Losing for me is very painful, but it’s important I don’t get caught up in it because then I’ve got another game to