If we were to say Henri Saivet, Newcastle United supporters could be forgiven for responding with… who? Signed from Bordeaux in January 2016, the Senegalese international made just five Premier League appearances in over half a decade on Tyneside.
A lot of his time at Newcastle was spent on loan at other clubs, with three temporary spells away before finally being released last year. Transfer fees and wages combined, Saivet cost Newcastle just shy of £16million. For context, that equates to £3.2million per top-flight appearance. The Magpies signed the midfielder in desperation when they tried - and ultimately failed - to maintain their Premier League status.
Recruitment was patchy at St James’ Park under Mike Ashley. It was not all bad, with Graham Carr’s insight helping unearth gems like Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye and Ayoze Perez for pennies. That record was balanced out by the Xiscos, Saivets and Emmanuel Riviere who ended up raking in unjustifiable sums of money for little contribution in return.
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While Ashley’s transfer record was hit-and-miss, there is little acceptance of how he managed other facets of the club. Saivet has lifted the lid on his Newcastle nightmare in an interview with French media - and the results are damning.
The 31-year-old revealed how little notice anyone connected at the club paid to his AFCON heroics in 2019. Despite playing all but one game as Senegal reached the final, Saivet remained shunned by his club when he returned.
“They (Newcastle) don’t respect the AFCON, it’s that simple,” he told So Foot. “When I returned to Newcastle after the lost final against Algeria, they admitted they didn’t even follow my performances, even though I had two years left on my contract. It’s quite simply a lack of professionalism.
“Things happened that I didn’t control. They blocked me so I couldn’t leave. Newcastle were asking for indecent future sale percentages. They refused a lot of offers even though I wasn’t playing. Even for my loans, I had to force an exit. Even today, it annoys me because I don’t have an answer.”
A surprise appearance against West Ham United in December 2017 resulted in him scoring a stunning free-kick but, for whatever reason, he was never seen in the league again…
To this day, Saivet's time on Tyneside remains an enigma. At 31, he now plies his trade for Pau in the French second division. Signing the midfielder proved a financial burden for Newcastle but it is the way Saivet felt neglected - regardless of his talents - which acts as the most alarming indictment of Ashley's reign.
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