According to The Chronicle, Matthew Longstaff has received a new offer from an “ambitious European club”. Newcastle United are aware of the offer but have appeared reluctant to submit a counter-offer to tie him down to a new contract. As a result, the player is now facing an uncertain future at the club.
Matthew Longstaff’s role at Newcastle United this season
Brother of Newcastle’s key midfield sensation Sean Longstaff, Matthew was promoted to the first-team at the start of this season. He is, however, yet to enjoy a rapid rise to prominence like his brother, having made just seven Premier League appearances so far, though he has scored two goals already.
One reason behind his lack of opportunities could be Newcastle’s tactics itself. Coach Steve Bruce has predominantly preferred a 5-4-1 formation which requires only two central midfielders. The Magpies have three viable options in Sean Longstaff, Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden. As a result, Matty has barely been able to make an impact in the first-team.
An ideal replacement for his brother?
One could be forgiven for thinking that Matthew Longstaff might be identified as a potential replacement for his brother Sean. The young midfielder has been linked with a move to Manchester United for quite some time now. He is already regarded as one of Premier League’s most gifted young midfielders.
Therefore, Newcastle United could potentially face a challenge in keeping hold of Sean in the upcoming summer transfer window. That’s where Matthew could come into the fray.
Although Sean is a central midfielder, unlike Matthew who is a defensive midfielder, they have certain similarities in their game. In fact, the latter is arguably better fitted to Bruce’s tactics, thanks to his aggression and defensive nature.
One for the future?
Aside from comparisons with his brother, Matthew Longstaff could prove to be a really important part of the Newcastle United squad in the near future.
First and foremost, the Magpies have lacked the presence of viable options in the midfield department. Sean, as mentioned earlier, could potentially leave the club while new signing Nabil Bentaleb has failed to convince since joining from Schalke on loan in the January transfer window.
Moreover, Jack Colback is not considered as a viable option anymore, leaving Isaac Hayden as the only reliable choice for the long term. Matthew Longstaff, in that regard, could make himself an ideal partner for the 24-year-old and with that in mind, Newcastle should look to sanction a contract extension for the youngster as soon as possible.
