Allan Saint-Maximin says he is “proud” to play for Newcastle and wants to get back to starting matches for the club.
The French winger has had his 2022/23 season interrupted by separate muscle and hamstring injuries, leading to him missing nine games this season, and with the Magpies in such a rich vain of form under Eddie Howe this season, it has been tough for the 25-year old to get back into a team that is flying.
Anthony Gordon’s arrival from Everton has added an extra body that Saint-Maximin must now compete with but he insists that he is happy on Tyneside, despite also being linked with a move to AC Milan in January.
“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,” he told the Northern Echo.
“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 one that plays football wants to be on the bench.”
The Frenchman also touched on Eddie Howe’s decision to leave him out of squads, understanding of his manager’s position.
“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.