Former Chelsea winger Florent Malouda believes Newcastle should persist with Allan Saint-Maximin.
The French winger has been linked with a move away this summer.
"I think Saint Maximin's lack of time could be an indication of the progress that Newcastle have made over the last 12 months, but you also have to remember that he had a couple of nasty injuries that kept him out of the team," Maloud told Genting Casino. "He didn't really fully recover so we didn't see the best of him.
"When he is playing at his best level, Saint-Maximin is the type of player that you would pay to watch. The fact that he didn't come straight back into the team shows you that the level of Newcastle is increasing. There is competition there now.
"I think he hasn't reached his peak yet. If he can get back to his full fitness, plus with the added games they will have next season, he will cause other teams problems."