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Manchester United will reportedly renew their interest in Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff.
Just eight Premier League starts - and none since December - has raised question marks about the 27-year-old’s future. In total, he has played just 26 minutes of top-flight action since the 4-0 win at Ipswich Town three months ago.
Longstaff has been one of Eddie Howe’s most trusted lieutenants since his appointment in 2021, playing a key role towards Champions League qualification. However, Sandro Tonali’s impressive return at the base of midfield has limited his game time.
Lewis Miley’s emergence has also given Longstaff another obstacle to get back into Howe’s side. A telling moment came away to Manchester City last month when, at half-time, the Toon boss brought the youngster on while Longstaff remained as substitute.
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The Athletic reported in January that sporting director Paul Mitchell views the North Shields native as a saleable asset. This came after Newcastle shifted Miguel Almiron and Lloyd Kelly to balance the PSR books.
Selling Longstaff - an academy graduate - would generate pure profit on the balance sheet. Toon chiefs reluctantly used this lever when offloading Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest a year ago.
Newcastle triggered a one-year contract extension to avoid losing the midfielder for nothing but he may still be available for a cut-price fee. TalkSPORT claimed last month that Everton were interested and the Magpies could do business for around £12million.
Various sources now name Man United as a possible destination despite their uncertain financial situation. Funds are tight at Old Trafford but Ruben Amorim’s midfield is ageing and Longstaff - who boasts Premier League and European experience - would be viewed as a cheap alternative.
Sean Longstaff was distracted byManchester United interest in 2019
Ironically, the Red Devils targeted Longstaff six years ago just nine games into his Premier League career. The Toon ace burst on the scene under Rafa Benitez and proved an instant hit.
He was integral in a 2-1 comeback win over Manchester City and, at the time, the sky seemed the limit for the young midfielder. Man United are understood to have expressed interest but baulked at Mike Ashley’s reported £50million valuation.
The deal never materialised but rumours about a potential exit distracted Longstaff throughout the summer. Speaking to NUFC TV in 2019, the Newcastle midfielder said: “You can sometimes get distracted by the outside noise and, maybe for a little bit in the summer, I was a bit.
“It’s hard not to whenever you go anywhere you see your face on the front of a newspaper and, when you turn the telly on, people are talking about you. And it’s not like they’re talking about little things, they’re talking about things that can change your life really.
“The expectation is half what I’ve done and it’s probably a good thing. It does just go to show I did impress people when I got my chance last year. So for me, it’s about not listening to them and sticking to what I do.”