Newcastle United will now open new contract talks with midfielder Sean Longstaff after a proposed swap deal with Everton failed to materialise.
That’s according to The Sunday Mirror (05/09, p78), who claim that the Magpies would now like to keep hold of the midfielder.
Well, presumably. It may well be that Newcastle just want to retain some value in Longstaff given that he can walk way for nothing at the end of the season.
It’s added that Newcastle and Everton did consider a swap deal involving Longstaff and Tom Davies, but that didn’t happen before the transfer deadline.
With that option now gone and the possibility of Longstaff signing a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in January, Newcastle are desperate to get contract talks underway.
They value Longstaff at £10million, but that price will diminish with every passing week as Longstaff nears the end of his deal.
Valued at £50million back in the summer of 2019, Longstaff has struggled for form and fitness and finds himself on the fringes at St James’ Park.
Rafael Benitez remains a big fan, hence his desire to take Longstaff to Everton, and we could see that interest spike again in 2022.
The Toffees will surely keep very close tabs on this situation now, as no new deal could open the door to a cut-price January transfer.
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