According to Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic (subscription required), Manchester United made a verbal £30 million offer for Newcastle United star Sean Longstaff earlier this week. But, the Magpies were quick to reject their advances as they are adamant on keeping hold of their prized asset this summer.
However, with not long left till the transfer market in England slams shut, United should return with an improved bid for the 21-year-old, who could be an ideal fit for the Red Devils.
Longstaff fits the identity of Solskjaer’s new-look Manchester United setup
Ever since his permanent appointment as the Manchester United boss, Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer has given special attention to the club’s youth academy and young players who can improve the team in the long run.
This has been clearly indicated in the club’s transfer market activity this summer as all of their new signings have been relatively young English players. This is a list that includes the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James. And Longstaff, in that regard, tunes in well with Solskjaer’s vision of revolving his team around young players.
The Englishman is currently 21 years old and has already shown that he is capable of performing at the highest level of football. Longstaff has room to improve and has time on his side as well – making him an ideal target for Solskjaer.
A potential leadership material
One of Longstaff’s qualities that strikes us the most is his humble personality. Unlike most other young players, the Newcastle star is not over the top and is known for his composure. Even on the pitch, the midfielder maintains a calm attitude and rarely makes any unnecessary errors, which becomes evident in his sleek passing.
These are signs that Longstaff could potentially be groomed into a real leader – something Manchester United have lacked ever since the departure of Nemanja Vidic. Although the 21-year-old will not be integrated as one of the club’s leaders anytime soon, his quality makes Longstaff an even more appealing target for the Red Devils.
A better option than Nemanja Matic
One of the main reasons behind Manchester United’s fall from grace in recent time has been the lack of solidity at the heart of their setup. Indeed, the midfielders have failed to provide assurance and security to the backline, often allowing teams to outclass them in the middle third of the pitch.
Nemanja Matic, in that regard, is one of the culprits. The Serbian endured a miserable campaign last season, and United must sign a new holding midfielder if they are to solve one of their glaring issues. And that’s where Longstaff comes into the fray.
The youngster has impressed the onlookers with his composure, awareness and technique with Newcastle United during the second half of last season. And he, along with another young gun in Scott McTominay, could become the face of this new-look Manchester United midfield in the near future.
