Sean Longstaff's near future 'may be away' from Newcastle: Report
Yesterday at 10:00 AM
The homegrown boy is looking like he's gone.
Newcastle United face a pivotal decision regarding the future of Sean Longstaff, as reported by The Athletic's Chris Waugh, who shed light on the club's stance amid ongoing financial considerations.
While the club is not actively shopping the midfielder, the constraints of the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) mean that Newcastle would "simply have to consider decent offers" for the 27-year-old.
"The club have exercised a 12-month extension in his deal, which means Longstaff is contracted until 2026, but they did that to protect his value as much as anything else, with talks surrounding a fresh deal failing to reach a positive conclusion yet," Waugh wrote on Tuesday. "Instead, all parties accept that, in the medium term, his future is increasingly looking like it may be away from St James' Park."
Longstaff, an academy graduate and lifelong Newcastle supporter, has provided a steady presence in the Magpies midfield and is admired by manager Eddie Howe.
However, Lonsgtaff's role and position in the squad hierarchy has shifted and his categorization as an Academy player could make a sale inevitable sooner rather than later.
"While he is getting [regular first-team football] at the moment, he is no longer the first choice and has dropped below Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and even Joe Willock in the pecking order," Waugh wrote.
Additionally, with 18-year-old prospect Lewis Miley pushing for more game time, the club is eyeing a long-term reshuffle in midfield, according to Waugh.
Longstaff would make "pure profit" on the balance sheet in the event of a sale, meaning any transfer fee would directly contribute to the club's financial flexibility, which is another strong reason to move him before he loses any value.
"Most importantly, Newcastle have to become better sellers and, rather than lose a star name, if they start to bring in money for other squad members then it will allow them to reinvest more going forward," Waugh wrote.
Despite the financial rationale, Howe is keen to retain Longstaff, usually acknowledging the midfielder's work rate, leadership, and connection to the club's local identity as key traits in his profile.
"Whether in January or next summer, there is at least a reasonable prospect of the midfielder departing for all of the reasons listed," Waugh reported. "Losing another homegrown player is far from ideal—Howe also recognizes the value of having Geordies within his squad—but PSR makes this an unideal situation."
