Leeds United are eyeing a summer move for Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff, with the midfielder likely to be available in the upcoming transfer window.
Sean Longstaff is a 27-year-old with bags of experience for his boyhood club, but he has fallen down the pecking order behind the likes of Joelinton, Joe Willock, and Bruno Guimaraes.
Longstaff was first linked to Leeds back in March 2024 but the Newcastle midfielder’s persistent Leeds links won’t go away as he potentially seeks more regular first-team opportunities from next season.
The midfielder has featured in just 32 matches for the Carabao Cup winners, with 25 of those coming in the Premier League. However, that includes only eight league starts after his minutes have dwindled this term.
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Sandro Tonali names Sean Longstaff as the most underrated player he has played with
It’s no surprise that Eddie Howe has opened the door for Longstaff to leave Newcastle but one of his teammates has been particularly impressed with his application and quality of late.
Despite not regularly playing, Sandro Tonali has praised Longstaff plenty. During an interview with Futbot Canada, Tonali was asked who his most underrated teammate ever was.
“Sean Longstaff in Newcastle,” he said.
@fubotvcanada “My dream shirt swap is YAYA TOURE” Rapid fire questions with Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali #fyp #premierleague #football #newcastleunited ♬ original sound – FuboTV Canada
Tonali also said that his debut for Newcastle made him cry in a very honest interview about his time with the club and about his teammates. Tonali has played with some exceptional players for Newcastle, AC Milan, and the Italian national team.
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Therefore, it’s high praise indeed for Longstaff. A move to Leeds United could be just what he needs and could transpire this summer, given Longstaff shares an agent with Illan Meslier, too. However, any fee for Leeds to secure Longstaff will have to be ‘decent’.
Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Would Sean Longstaff displace Ao Tanaka for Leeds?
Leeds need a deep and varied squad for the Premier League, which requires different profiles for every position and role in the starting lineup.
A horses for courses and adaptable approach ought to be the way Daniel Farke looks to mold the team this summer. Therefore, Longstaff would start when added physicality and out of possession intensity is required.
That might mean displacing Tanaka or playing alongside both the Japanese midfielder and club-captain Ethan Ampadu — depending on the opposition and the approach Leeds look to take.
At the very least, Longstaff’s minutes would dramatically increase at Elland Road. However his age, experience, and profile are all ticks in the right boxes for Leeds this summer.