Everton want Premier League star winger, a good deal?

Bengaluru, July 14: Former Liverpool manager and fan favourite Rafael Benitez controversially crossed the divide of Liverpool city in the summer when he said yes to the Everton job. The Spanish boss left a massive legacy of his own at Anfield and it remains to be seen how Liverpool fans react with their beloved 'Rafa' taking the mantle of their arch-rivals.

Benitez is reportedly said to be looking to make his presence felt at Goodison Park as early as possible and the Toffees are expected to enjoy a solid transfer window. As per reports in England, Benitez has set his sights on raiding his former employers Newcastle United as he looks to lure Frenchman Allan Saint-Maximin to Goodison Park.

The French winger joined the Magpies back in the summer of 2019 just after Benitez departed from the club having failed to receive the financial backing of owner Mike Ashley. It was somewhat surprising to see the Magpies splashing close to £20 million for the signature of the fleet-footed winger from Nice just after not backing Benitez enough.

Newcastle United fared pretty well under Steve Bruce following the departure of Benitez having finished 13th and 12th respectively in the past couple of seasons and Saint-Maximin has been their best player in both seasons without any shadow of doubt.

There are not many better players in the Premier League than Saint-Maximin when it comes to certain traits like dribbling and outrun defenders for fun. On his day, the 24-year-old can make even the best defenders on the planet struggle.

Some Everton fans may be sceptical about the winger's lack of end product as he has just seven goals and 11 assists in 56 games across two seasons for Newcastle. While his numbers are not too impressive, it also should be considered that he has played under a very defensive-minded manager like Steve Bruce and did not have too many gifted players around him.

The Magpies have been heavily reliant on Saint-Maximin for almost everything and more often than not, he has been left with too much to do. Everton are levels ahead of Newcastle in terms of overall squad depth and Saint-Maximin should flourish if he plays alongside the likes of James Rodriguez, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and others week in week out.

The Toffees are not far away from challenging the top club in the country and with signings like the Frenchman, they can go a little closer. The might well have to spend over £50 million for the services of the winger but for a player of his talent and age, it should be a good investment.