Rafa Benitez is keen to take a look at Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff in pre-season, according to the Chronicle.
The newspaper state that after dazzling out on loan at League One’s Blackpool where he scored nine goals, while creating six, in 45 outings he gained a host of admirers.
Chronicle report that several clubs want to take him out on loan and that Longstaff could be one of the Magpies’ U-23 players who joins the first-team in the pre-season tour of Ireland.
OPINION
The Magpies manager no doubt wants to assess Longstaff’s ability for himself after hearing such high praise for the midfielder. The 20-year-old’s loan spell at Blackpool proved that he could handle himself in England’s third-tier so hopefully there is a Championship side interested in his services. Longstaff previously had a decent loan spell in the Scottish Premier League with Kilmarnock and it’s important he experiences as many different leagues while he can by securing temporary moves. The central midfielder, who can also play on the left flank as well an attacking midfielder, is on course to have a bright future at St James Park. Longstaff is constantly one of a handful of the club’s youth players you consistently hear good things about so hopefully he will make a positive impression in front of Benitez during pre-season. It’s not confirmed that he will be included in the first-team’s trip to Ireland as of yet but based on the Chronicle’s assessment of his chances, he seems a likely candidate to be spending time around the senior squad this summer.
