Leeds United's transfer bid for Sean Longstaff leaves Newcastle with a difficult decision
Newcastle United's Sean Longstaff (left) and Matty Longstaff at St James' Park in 2019
Newcastle United's Sean Longstaff (left) and Matty Longstaff at St James' Park in 2019
(Image: PA)
Sean Longstaff's future remains uncertain as Newcastle United weigh up a transfer offer from Leeds United for the midfielder.
Longstaff has 12 months left on his Newcastle contract and is understood to be open to leaving his boyhood club after almost a decade as a professional with the Magpies. The 27-year-old progressed through the Academy and has played more than 200 first-team games.
He slipped down the midfield pecking order last season, however, with Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton establishing themselves as Eddie Howe's preferred combination. Even when one of those three were missing, Longstaff faced competition from Lewis Miley and Joe Willock for a starting berth.
The North Shields-born player last started a Premier League game in December and was restricted to a handful of cameo appearances from the bench in the last few months.
Now, with only a year left on his deal, Leeds have made their move, offering around £12million for the player as they look to strengthen their squad after promotion to the top flight.
The Athletic claim that Newcastle are yet to respond to the offer, which they also state is the third bid put in by the Elland Road club. Meanwhile, Longstaff is said to have already agreed personal terms with Leeds.
Newcastle are in no rush to make a decision on the player as they wait to see what other offers come in for their players, including fellow midfielder Joe Willock. However, they face a double dilemma with Longstaff.
Firstly, they risk losing the player for free next year if Longstaff stays and doesn't sign a contract extension. The player is believed to be keen on playing a couple more years in England before potentially joining his brother Matty in the MLS. The younger Longstaff is currently with Toronto.
The Athletic state that Longstaff would rather Newcastle pick up a fee for him than lose him for nothing, and the club's PSR situation must be taken into account. Any money would be classed as 'pure profit' with Longstaff being an Academy graduate and would greatly strengthen the club's spending power in upcoming windows.
However, an added complication is Newcastle's appearance in the Champions League, and the squad rules surrounding it. Newcastle must name a squad of 25 players for the competition, and UEFA's rules state the Magpies must have four homegrown players - who were registered with the club for at least three years between the age of 15 and 21 - in their European squad.
At present, Longstaff is the only recognised first-team player to fit that bill. The likes of Miley and other youngsters like Sean Neave don't qualify as they are under the age of 21 and will be included in a separate B list of eligible players.
If Newcastle are unable to fulfil that quote, it will be taken off the 25-man squad. For example, if they have no homegrown players, they can only name 21 in the main squad, plus the B list.
That could leave Newcastle desperately short of squad depth for the club's tilt at Europe and means the Magpies are weighing up whether to cash in on Longstaff or keep him for the Champions League campaign.
However, speaking to reporters back in May, Howe added that the decision could be taken out of their hands to an extent depending on Longstaff's wishes, and that they may not stand in his way if another opportunity came along.
"I think we’d work with Sean on that, I think he's got our utmost respect,” Howe said. "He's been a brilliant servant to the football club.
"He has a contract with the football club. So, in some senses, he can dictate what happens with his future. Let's wait and see on that. He's still a very valued member of the squad. He's got a big part to play."
Longstaff himself admitted last year that he was open to continuing his career elsewhere if he felt he wasn't able to progress at Newcastle.
"Yeah, if it’s here (Newcastle), it’s great. If it’s not, it’s not.," he admitted. "I want to be valued as a player, I want to be appreciated as a player and whether it’s here, great. If it’s not here and it’s somewhere else, it’ll be somewhere else.
"In a way I live day to day, game to game and I just try and take in every game. I get to go to work every day and spend it with my best friends, I don’t know what’s coming ahead. I don’t know what’s coming down the line, I just try to embrace every day and enjoy every minute because ultimately it won’t last forever."