Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff, a homegrown player at the club, has been made available for transfer in the upcoming January transfer window as the Magpies try to address its Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) constraints in advance to avoid last summer’s last-minute, rushed fire sale.
Craig Hope of the Daily Mail reports that the 27-year-old academy graduate could be sold in the upcoming transfer window, with sporting director Paul Mitchell exploring options to improve Newcastle’s financial positioning.
“Conversations in transfer circles this week have revealed that [Longstaff] is available for transfer in the New Year,” Hope wrote. “Any incomings must be offset against a sale before June.
“Newcastle have this month invoked the option to extend Longstaff’s contract by one year to the summer of 2026, in a bid to protect the value of their academy graduate.”
As Hope reported, it looks like Newcastle only extended Longstaff's deal to make it a more appealing player in the market, with his deal now running through 2026 instead of being an expiring deal next July.
While Longstaff remains a valued member of Eddie Howe’s first-team squad, the club’s hierarchy views his sale as a practical solution to balance their books, especially with any winter/summer incomings needing to be offset by outgoing transfers before the season year closes at the end of June.
Although there are still more than two weeks before the market opening, Hope wrote that Newcastle’s already in touch with a few clubs regarding potential transfers, which might have had an impact on the player assuming he is aware of his precarious long-term situation within the organization.
“We are aware of several clubs and intermediaries who have been told of Longstaff’s availability in recent days,” Hope reported.
Hope noted that the midfielder understands the financial and strategic considerations taken by NUFC and the club’s decision given his homegrown status and the pure profit selling him would yield to the organization.
Boston United v Newcastle United U21 – National League Cup Photo by Harriet Massey/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Meanwhile, Hope also reported that Newcastle could see defender Alex Murphy head out on loan in January, while midfielder Lewis Miley is expected to remain with the first-team squad.
Murphy, a 20-year-old Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, has yet to go on loan since joining Newcastle in 2022. He’s made two Premier League appearances but according to Hope, the club views a temporary move to a Championship or League One side as essential for his development.
Miley, on the other hand, is set to stay at St. James’ Park. The 18-year-old midfielder has recently returned to action after a lengthy injury layoff and is poised for increased first-team involvement following the New Year.