Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are reportedly keen on Sean Longstaff, who hasn’t yet made his Premier League debut for Newcastle United.
At the age of 20, it seems that Sean Longstaff is ready to make the step up from youth-team football.
The locally born midfielder emerged as arguably the brightest spark in Newcastle United’s far from prosperous youth academy some time ago now, having also impressed in a nine-goal loan spell at League One Blackpool in 2017/18.
Though it seems that a Premier League debut for Newcastle remains some way away.
As reported by The Chronicle, manager Rafa Benitez is unwilling to throw his youngsters in at the deep end with The Magpies struggling at the bottom of the Premier League – meaning the likes of Elias Sorensen and Longstaff look set to spend the next few months waiting in the wings.
“Players with experience and a good mentality can help this team,” Benitez said. “What I am saying is sometimes the experience can help.”
So this explains why Celtic is perhaps a better fit for Longstaff than staying at St James’ Park. After all, a relegation battle is probably not the ideal time to blood a promising youngster.
The Chronicle reports that The Hoops have been watching the 20-year-old for a number of weeks now while clubs in Germany and Spain are keen too.
But would Longstaff be more likely to get first-team minutes at Celtic? Possibly, given Brendan Rodgers’ history of bringing young players, such as Raheem Sterling, Moussa Dembele and Kieran Tierney, into his first-team plans if they show they’re good enough.
You can’t exactly say the same about Benitez, who has discarded the likes of Ivan Toney and Adam Armstrong rather than give them a chance during his time at St James’ Park.
But with Longstaff ready to sign a new contract and extend a deal that runs to the end of this season, the Chronicle adds, has he already made his decision?
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