Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez has confirmed that there were offers to take midfielder Sean Longstaff on loan.
However, he then admitted that the 21-year-old ace had to remain with the Magpies despite the offers that came the club’s way, with the Spaniard adding that the young ace still has plenty of opportunities to play in the first team whether there were injuries or not.
Longstaff scored his first senior goal for the club on Tuesday in their 4-2 FA Cup third round replay win over Blackburn and has made two appearances in the Premier League this season.
“We had loan offers but he had to stay. He had opportunities here without injuries but with injuries he will get even more,” Benitez said, as quoted by Chronicle reporter Lee Ryder on his personal Twitter account.
Rafa on Longstaff loan enquiries:
"We had loan offers but he had to stay
"He had opportunities here without injuries but with injuries he will get even more." #nufc— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) January 18, 2019
OPINION
Newcastle fans would have no doubt been fuming if Benitez allowed Longstaff to leave on loan in this current transfer window. After his recent performances against the likes of Chelsea and in the FA Cup, the manager would have been a fool to let him go so easily. Like Benitez said, his first team opportunities are not going to be limited even if some players return from injury soon – i.e. Mo Diame. This admission indicates just how much of an impact Longstaff has been making on the team, and how impressed Benitez has been with his recent displays. He has the potential to be a real star for Newcastle if he continues the high standards he has set himself – and he may even save the club a penny or two in the process. At the age of 21, he can get even better, something which the manager has no doubt recognised already after ensuring that he stayed in spite of the loan offers.
