Manchester United have been reportedly slapped with a £50 million price-tag for Newcastle United prodigy Sean Longstaff.
According to ChronicleLive, Manchester United will have to fork out £50 million if they are to attain the services of Newcastle United star Sean Longstaff this summer. The young midfielder has been identified as the desired player for Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer, but the Magpies have remained adamant in keeping hold of their academy product.
United have already roped in Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James and are believed to have shifted their focus to a midfielder, after losing Ander Herrera while Paul Pogba has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford. Hence, Newcastle are playing a masterstroke by throwing a high valuation for Longstaff, knowing that it’s almost imperative that United sign a midfielder this summer, especially if Pogba does end up leaving the club.
The Frenchman has been highly linked with a move to Real Madrid. Additionally, the United midfield department has struggled due to the lack of consistency in the performances of Nemanja Matic and last summer’s star recruit, Fred. Matic, in particular, has been awful and was notably linked with a move to Inter Milan this week.
And the potential departure of the Serbian international could pave the way for Longstaff to become a vital part of Ole’s midfield department next season.
The 21-year-old rose to prominence at the backend of last season, often getting the nod ahead of Mohamed Diame and Jonjo Shelvey at the base of Newcastle midfield. Although Longstaff’s progress was marred by an unfortunate knee injury, as he ended up making only nine league appearances, his performances were enough to suggest that he could be ready to showcase talents in a bigger platform.
And that’s where Manchester United could come into the fray. The youngster is ideally suited to Solskjaer’s style of play given his athleticism and willingness to win back possession for his team which is coupled with the tackling prowess that has made him one of the most sought-after midfielders in the country.
Longstaff also has an incredibly humble personality, which might make him a leadership material within the coming year for Manchester United. But largely, it is his ability to provide protection for the backline that makes him a viable target for the Premier League giants.
Hence, the Red Devils should, in fact, make a move for this talented midfielder, even though his lack of experience at the highest level of football could turn out to be a huge gamble.
