Allan Saint-Maximin has insisted that he is ready to fight to regain a regular starting place for Newcastle United, saying he is “very proud” to be at the club.
After enduring a disrupted start to the season due to two ill-timed injuries, the French forward has largely had to be content with a place on Eddie Howe’s bench.
Saint-Maximin was linked with a move to AC Milan during the January transfer window, but ultimately remained on Tyneside and made his first start since the World Cup in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with West Ham.
Though the arrival of Anthony Gordon means there is significant competition for places in Howe’s frontline, Saint-Maximin has indicated his willingness to compete for a starting spot.
“I want to be honest because I’m not going to lie,” Saint-Maximin said to the Northern Echo, admitting that there had been January interest in his potential availability.
“When you are in the situation [of not playing much], a lot of teams can see that and think it’s the right opportunity to come and buy the player.
“But I’m very proud to be here, and the most important thing for me is to play. I will always try to be in a position where I play every game because no player plays football to be on the bench.”
Saint-Maximin believes his relationship with Howe remains strong and stressed that his manager’s decision to leave the Frenchman out was vindicated by Newcastle’s continued on-field success.
The 25-year-old explained: “Sometimes you need to understand the situation. When I was playing, the team did not lose a game and I did my job, but when I was not there, the team kept playing well and didn’t lose either.
“The manager’s choice makes sense because I got an injury. I didn’t lose any game when I was on the pitch (at the start of the season), and this is something very, very important for me. The coach knows that.
“That’s why I have a very good relationship with him, because he knows what I’m capable of. But when I came back from injury, the team was winning a lot of games, so they have a lot of credit to keep going.”
