Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff is considering his future at the club after manager Rafael Benitez’s departure was confirmed on Monday, according to the Daily Star.
The newspaper claims that the 21-year-old, who only signed a new deal last season, is weighing up his options after being shocked at the news of the Spaniard’s impending exit.
Premier League heavyweights Manchester United are in pursuit of the young Englishman, but had expected to be told to wait by the player, who wanted to continue his development under Benitez.
However, the manager’s exit has changed things for Longstaff, with sources close to him confirming that he is ‘bitterly upset’ at Mike Ashley giving Benitez the boot.
OPINION
This is extremely concerning reading if you are a Newcastle fan. To lose Benitez was bad enough, but if Longstaff followed the Spaniard out the St James’ Park exit door it would likely be enough to render some supporters catatonic. The youngster is one of the few positives about the Magpies at this moment in time, even more so after Benitez’s departure, and so to lose him would be a huge blow to the team moving forward. This is a rare case where a young player didn’t have his head turned by the big money and the bright lights on offer at Old Trafford, but instead wanted to stay with his local club and continue to improve under a manager who he respected and trusted. Yet Ashley has even managed to mess that up. His decision to get rid of Benitez could have disastrous and widespread consequences, with the potential loss of Longstaff one of the most dire. The club need to act quickly to get the starlet back on board and convince him to stay where he is.
