Kieran Trippier's advice to Newcastle team-mate Allan Saint-Maximin inspired by Diego Simeone

Kieran Trippier believes Allan Saint-Maximin has the ability to achieve his Ballon d'Or ambition and has revealed the advice he has given to his Newcastle United team-mate. The Magpies' number 10 is enjoying his best season in black-and-white to date, registering five goals and three assists so far.

Trippier has immediately adopted a leadership role at St James' Park both on and off the pitch, and admits Saint-Maximin is a unique talent unlike anything he has even seen before. The England international shared his own experience trying to defend against the attacker in training, and told the True Geordie podcast: "Honestly, I've never seen anything like it. I don't even know how to explain it, honestly, he's mental.

"Even in training, I just stand off him. We were doing a six-v-six, he had the ball and he wouldn't pass to anyone. Everyone was trying to get the ball of him, I was diving in to tackle him and he's just one of those players that gets you on the edge of your seat. I have never seen anything like him before."

Saint-Maximin has publicly outlined his intentions to earn a senior call-up for France, as well as his ambition to be crowned a Ballon d'Or winner. Trippier confirmed he has spoken with the 24-year-old over the need to consistently deliver in the final third, as well as the minimum requirement for hard work, to achieve these goals.

The former Atletico Madrid right-back said: "I've had conversations with him since I've been there. You look at him against Everton for example, he was incredible. There's sometimes in games where he's done the hard bit...he can release it a bit earlier but he has that magic where he can make anything happen.

"Even I don't know what he's going to do with it, but he doesn't