Newcastle United are set to agree terms on a new contract for young midfielder Sean Longstaff, according to the Chronicle.
The regional newspaper report that the two parties have engaged in positive talks during the international break, with the 20-year-old prepared to commit his long-term future to the Magpies.
The Chronicle claim that there has been significant interest from Europe in Longstaff, including from Germany, France and Spain, and Newcastle were well aware they needed to tie the 5ft 11in ace [Transfermarkt] down to a new deal with his current one expiring in the summer.
OPINION
This is a sensible move from Newcastle, who are set to tie down one of their most promising young players. Longstaff has been on the fringes of the first-team this season under Rafa Benitez, making his debut for the seniors against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup earlier this term. The 20-year-old has long been seen as the next big thing out of the academy, and it would have been a big blow if he decided to walk away at the end of this season. That was never likely to happen, but had uncertainty over a new deal gone on any longer then concerns will have started to arise. The fact that there is interest from some of the biggest footballing nations in Europe show that Longstaff is not just highly-rated on Tyneside but all over the continent, and that bodes well for his future. Newcastle have not produced many young talents in recent years, so to see Longstaff graduate to the first-team in the near future will be a big boost for their floundering academy.
