Former Newcastle United player Allan Saint-Maximin’s time in Saudi Arabia is over after confirmation that he has signed for a new club.
It is fair to say the Frenchman has endured a strange career after leaving Newcastle United in 2023 for a fee of just £23million.
Allan Saint-Maximin was a fan favourite on Tyneside, known for his sensational technical ability and philanthropy off the pitch. However, he struggled for fitness throughout his Newcastle career, forcing Eddie Howe to make the reluctant decision to sell him.
In his first season in the Saudi Pro League playing for PIF-owned Al-Ahli, Saint-Maximin scored just four goals in 30 appearances, a low number considering the quality of the league he was playing in.
Last season, Saint-Maximin was loaned to Fenerbahce to play under Jose Mourinho. However, the pair fell out and his spell was deemed a disaster, with just four goals in 20 league appearances.
Now, confirmation of Saint-Maximin’s new club has come forward, which is a big surprise considering where he was playing two years ago.
Allan Saint-Maximin in action during a game between Al-Ahli and Celtic FC.
Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images
Allan Saint-Maximin signs for Liga MX side Club America
Saint-Maximin admitted he still misses Newcastle two years on from his emotional departure, but the Magpies have now found their replacement for him in Anthony Elanga.
Following two troubled seasons, Saint-Maximin has now found himself at a third club since leaving the Magpies. This time, he has joined Liga MX side Club America, who are currently third in the table after four games.
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The 28-year-old was greeted by a large crowd upon his arrival to Mexico, having joined for a reported fee of $12million (£9million). It is unknown whether Newcastle had a sell-on clause included in Saint-Maximin’s deal, but they should receive a handy bonus if there was.
Now at his new club, Saint-Maximin will be hoping that he can push on and be successful in his new environment and put his previous troubles behind him.
Allan Saint-Maximin nearly joined Serie A champions before his Club America move
Saint-Maximin was a brilliant player on his day, causing so many problems for defenders. However, injuries and inconsistency were always a problem for the Frenchman on Tyneside, so the decision to sell made sense in the end.
Steve Bruce named Saint-Maximin as the best player he managed at Newcastle, showing how highly he was regarded behind the scenes.
While his move to Fenerbahce was a flop, Saint-Maximin was very close to joining Napoli during the January transfer window.
🚨🔵 EXCL: Napoli have made contact with Al Ahli for Allan Saint-Maximin with loan proposal sent!
Negotiations ongoing with Al Ahli as Saudi club is busy to get Galeno deal done, medical booked.
Napoli also opened talks with Anderlecht for Amuzu, waiting for club’s decision. pic.twitter.com/jP7Vgk4D0T
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 31, 2025
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However, complications forced Napoli to back out of the Saint-Maximin deal, with the Italian giants refusing to pay compensation to Al-Ahli and Fenerbahce.
Had the move gone through, Saint-Maximin could have added the Serie A title to his trophy cabinet, as Napoli managed to win the league on the final day of the season.