The response to Allan Saint-Maximin's cryptic statement tells you just how pointed the debate around Newcastle United's number 10 really is. The fans favourite fanned the flames over a potential exit with his Instagram post, admitting he is now facing a 'turning point' in his career following a frustrating season.
Not for the first time, the French forward's future at St James' Park is the subject of intense transfer speculation. But the latest episode is arguably the first time Newcastle have held the power in any discussions, fresh off the back of qualifying for next season's Champions League largely without their former talisman.
The Magpies undoubtedly owe a debt of gratitude to Saint-Maximin, with the forward often serving as the ace in the hole to regularly bail out Steve Bruce's underperforming sides. Without the influence of the now 26-year-old, survival in either of his first two seasons in black-and-white would likely not have been achieved.
