1. Overview
Allan Irénée Saint-Maximin (born 12 March 1997) is a French professional footballer who primarily plays as a winger. Known for his flamboyant style of play, he is currently with Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe on loan from Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli. Saint-Maximin has also had notable stints with French clubs Saint-Étienne, Monaco, and Nice, as well as Premier League side Newcastle United. His career has been marked by remarkable on-field performances, showcasing his exceptional dribbling and attacking prowess, alongside some notable off-field incidents.
2. Early Life
Allan Saint-Maximin's early life was characterized by a supportive family environment and a natural inclination towards both academic and athletic pursuits, although his early football development also included a challenging incident.
2.1. Childhood and Personal Background
Saint-Maximin was born on 12 March 1997 in Châtenay-Malabry, a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. He is the youngest of three children. His father, Alex, hails from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, and his mother, Nadège, was born in French Guiana in South America. The family resided in Meudon, where Saint-Maximin grew up, often playing football on the streets with friends or on pitches in Ris-Orangis while his parents worked; his father was employed at Paris Diderot University, and his mother worked late as a school director in Meudon.
From a young age, Saint-Maximin was encouraged by his mother to learn English, driven by his dream of playing in the Premier League. Growing up in a comfortable Christian home, he displayed early signs of generosity; his mother would give him 10 EUR daily in his early school years, which he would use to buy sweets for his school friends who could not afford them. Beyond football, Saint-Maximin showed diverse interests, taking a liking to the Japanese martial arts film The Karate Kid, tennis, and manga, all of which influenced his distinctive trademark headband. Intellectually, he was noted for a high IQ of 145, and he also excelled physically, winning local cross-country championships. At the age of 13, he enrolled in a youth development facility directly supervised by the French Football Federation but was expelled six months later due to involvement in a bullying incident.
2.2. Youth Football Career
Saint-Maximin began his football journey at TU Verrieres-le-Buisson, where he played for a few months before joining US Ris-Orangis alongside his older brother, Kurtys. Under coach Didier Demonchy, he trained with older children despite being only five years old. Demonchy recognized his innate talent, noting that while typical five-year-olds made mistakes or fell, Allan did "everything right and nothing was random."
After three years at US Ris-Orangis, Saint-Maximin moved to AC Boulogne-Billancourt, where he began to attract attention from various scouts across France. His early talent and precocity led to him signing with Saint-Étienne in 2011. This decision came after he was spotted by a scout at an Under-13 tournament in Meudon. He notably rejected an offer from Paris Saint-Germain, which included a house for his parents and a significant signing bonus exceeding 100.00 K EUR, as he had already committed to Saint-Étienne. At 14, Saint-Maximin permanently left Paris and moved to Saint-Étienne, where he was cared for by Paul and Nicole Cavallero.
3. Club Career
Allan Saint-Maximin's professional career began at Saint-Étienne and progressed through several clubs in France, Germany, and England, before his move to Saudi Arabia and a loan spell in Turkey.
3.1. Saint-Étienne
After impressing in the youth ranks of Saint-Étienne, Saint-Maximin signed his first professional contract with the club on July 1, 2013. He made his club debut on August 29, 2013, at the age of 16 years, 5 months, and 17 days, as a substitute in a UEFA Europa League play-off match against Esbjerg fB, a game Saint-Étienne lost 1-0. This debut made him the third youngest player for Saint-Étienne. Three days later, Saint-Maximin made his Ligue 1 debut at home in a 2-1 victory against Bordeaux, becoming one of the youngest players to debut in the league. In his first season with the club, he played 138 minutes across 5 games under coach Christophe Galtier.
On February 7, 2015, Saint-Maximin extended his contract with Saint-Étienne until June 2019, with promises of more playing time. However, he managed only 16 league appearances, alongside matches with the second team in the Championnat National, leading him to feel unwanted due to limited opportunities with the first team. In an interview, he expressed his frustration, stating, "I did everything to impose myself in Sainté with good matches against OM, Bordeaux, and Lille. Afterwards, I alternated between the CFA and the stands. At first, I thought I was learning the trade, and then it became exhausting," feeling that he was "taken for merchandise." During the 2014-15 season, Saint-Maximin made 11 appearances for the club, including 9 in Ligue 1 and 2 in the UEFA Europa League.
3.2. Monaco and Loan Spells
Allan Saint-Maximin's tenure at Monaco was primarily characterized by a series of loan spells as he sought consistent playing time.
On July 31, 2015, Saint-Maximin joined Monaco on a five-year contract after completing a 5.00 M EUR transfer. He was immediately loaned to German club Hannover 96 on the same day, even participating in his first training session that morning. He made his unofficial debut in an exhibition loss to Sunderland and his competitive debut in the DFB-Pokal against Hessen Kassel. A week later, he made his Bundesliga debut as an attacking midfielder against Bayer Leverkusen. On December 5, he scored his first goal for Hannover in a 3-1 defeat to Schalke. Eight days later, he earned his first league start against Hoffenheim. In January 2016, he missed friendly matches during the mid-season break to be with his pregnant wife. He registered 16 league appearances with 1 goal during the season. However, his loan was cut short in April when he was involved in a car accident that collided with a tram, injuring one person. He then presented a fake driving license, leading to an investigation on suspicion of forgery, driving without a license, and negligent bodily harm. As a result, he was dropped from the squad under coach Daniel Stendel and did not make another appearance before returning to France. By the end of the season, Hannover was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, ending their 14-year run in the top flight of German football.
On July 28, 2016, Saint-Maximin was sent on a season-long loan to Ligue 1 club SC Bastia. He scored his first goal for the club on August 20 in a 3-0 win over Lorient. On December 10, he netted a brace in Bastia's 2-0 league victory against Metz, ending their 10-game winless streak. In January 2017, his jersey number was changed from 6 to 10. He proved to be one of Bastia's best attackers, contributing 3 goals and 3 assists, despite the team finishing bottom of the league at the end of the season. He played in the final league game for Bastia on May 20, 2017, against Marseille, after receiving permission from the French Football Federation (FFF) before his call-up to the France U20 squad.
Upon his return to Monaco, Saint-Maximin showed promising form in preseason, scoring 1 goal and providing 2 assists in 4 matches. However, the club's stacked attacking depth, featuring players like Kylian Mbappé, Rony Lopes, and Thomas Lemar, meant he could expect limited playing time. Despite this, he expressed readiness to play for Monaco in the upcoming season. Saint-Maximin made his debut for the club in the 2017 Trophée des Champions against Paris SG, replacing Mbappé in the 77th minute of a 2-1 loss. He made his Ligue 1 debut on August 4, once again replacing an injured Mbappé, in a 3-2 home win over Toulouse. This would be his final appearance for Monaco before his departure three days later.
3.3. Nice
On August 7, 2017, Saint-Maximin completed a move to Nice, a Côte d'Azur rival, for a reported transfer fee of 10.00 M EUR, making him a club-record signing for Nice. During his time at Nice, he formed a powerful attacking partnership with Mario Balotelli. However, his tenure was not without controversy. During the 2018-19 season, he admitted to faking illness to miss matches, an action that drew criticism from both supporters and the coach.
3.4. Newcastle United
On August 2, 2019, Saint-Maximin joined Premier League side Newcastle United, signing a six-year contract for a transfer fee reported to be around 23.00 M GBP. He made his debut nine days later in Newcastle's defeat to Arsenal on the opening day of the Premier League season.
On December 5, Saint-Maximin scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 victory against Sheffield United. His second goal came two months later in the fourth round of the FA Cup against League One opposition Oxford United, scoring a late winner after a solo run. The Frenchman also scored the winning goal in Newcastle's 1-0 win at Southampton in a Premier League match on March 7, 2020. On July 1, Saint-Maximin provided three assists in the Magpies' 4-1 win over AFC Bournemouth.
In the 2022-23 Premier League season, Saint-Maximin continued to make a significant impact. On August 21, 2022, he delivered an excellent performance, providing two assists in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Manchester City. A week later, on August 28, he scored a sensational 90th-minute volley from outside the penalty box to rescue a point for Newcastle in a 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton. Over his four seasons with Newcastle United, he registered a total of 13 goals and 21 assists in 124 appearances across all competitions.
3.5. Al-Ahli
On July 30, 2023, Saint-Maximin transferred to Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, signing a three-year contract. The transfer fee was reported to be around 23.00 M GBP. On September 16, he scored his first goal for the club, netting the winner in a 3-2 victory over Al Taawoun. In his first season, he made 31 official appearances, scoring 4 goals and providing 10 assists, playing a significant role in the team's third-place finish in the league.
3.6. Fenerbahçe (Loan)
On July 16, 2024, Saint-Maximin joined Turkish club Fenerbahçe on loan for the 2024-25 season. He made his debut with the team on August 6, 2024, in a UEFA Champions League third qualifying round match against Lille OSC. His Süper Lig debut came on August 10, 2024, in a 1-0 victory against Adana Demirspor. On September 15, 2024, he scored his first goal and provided an assist in a 2-0 Süper Lig win against Kasımpaşa SK.
4. International Career
Allan Saint-Maximin has represented France at various youth levels, showcasing his talent on the international stage.
He has played for the France U16 (11 appearances, 3 goals), France U17 (7 appearances, 4 goals), France U20 (7 appearances, 2 goals), and France U21 (7 appearances, 0 goals) national teams. He notably participated in the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he scored two goals.
5. Personal Life
Allan Saint-Maximin is a family man with three children, named Lyana, Ninhia, and Djayde. They resided with him during his time in Newcastle. He maintains a close friendship with fellow footballer Marcus Thuram, a bond that originated during their shared time at the AC Boulogne-Billancourt youth academy.
6. Controversies and Criticisms
Throughout his career, Allan Saint-Maximin has been involved in several incidents that drew controversy and criticism.
While on loan at Hannover 96 in April 2016, Saint-Maximin was involved in a car accident that collided with a tram, resulting in an injury to one person. Following the collision, he presented a fake driving license, leading to an investigation on suspicion of forgery, driving without a license, and negligent bodily harm. This incident led to his being dropped from the Hannover squad and ultimately cut his loan short.
Later, during the 2018-19 season with OGC Nice, Saint-Maximin faced criticism from both supporters and the club's management. He publicly admitted to faking illness on multiple occasions to miss matches, which led to disciplinary issues and damaged his reputation with the club's fanbase and coaching staff.
7. Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Saint-Étienne II | 2013-14 | 15 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 15 | 5 | |||||
| 2014-15 | 7 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 7 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 22 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 22 | 7 | ||||||
| Saint-Étienne | 2013-14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2014-15 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 12 | 0 | |||
| Total | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 17 | 0 | |||
| Hannover 96 (loan) | 2015-16 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 18 | 1 | ||||
| Bastia (loan) | 2016-17 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 3 | |||
| Monaco | 2017-18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Nice | 2017-18 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | - | 38 | 5 | ||
| 2018-19 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 6 | ||||
| Total | 64 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | - | 74 | 11 | |||
| Newcastle United | 2019-20 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 30 | 4 | |||
| 2020-21 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 26 | 3 | ||||
| 2021-22 | 35 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 37 | 5 | ||||
| 2022-23 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | - | 31 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 111 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 0 | - | - | 124 | 13 | ||||
| Al-Ahli | 2023-24 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 31 | 4 | ||||
| Fenerbahçe (loan) | 2024-25 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | - | 8 | 0 | - | 25 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 306 | 39 | 16 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 349 | 42 | ||
8. Honours
Allan Saint-Maximin has received individual accolades and contributed to a team achievement during his career.
- Premier League Goal of the Month: August 2022
- North East FWA Player of the Year: 2021
- EFL Cup Runner-up: 2022-23 (with Newcastle United)