Sean Longstaff is keen on a reunion with Rafael Benitez at Everton but, according to 90Min, Newcastle United have rejected an initial bid from their Premier League rivals.
Everton supporters are unlikely to lose their collective minds regarding the potential arrival of a player who has slipped down the pecking order at a club sitting 19th in the table and staring relegation in the face.
But don’t forget that, during their time together at St James’ Park, Longstaff enjoyed a remarkable emergence onto the Premier League stage.
Just two and a half years ago, Manchester United were banging on the door with Newcastle demanding a staggering £50 million fee for their most exciting academy graduate in many a year (Telegraph).
Considering that Longstaff has not hit those heights since Benitez’s 2019 departure, it’s understandable that he would be tempted by a reunion at Goodison Park.
Especially when you consider that the now-24-year-old playmaker has started just one of Eddie Howe’s eight games in charge of the Tyneside giants.
Howe, it seems, prefers the industry of Isaac Hayden and the mercurial talents of Jonjo Shelvey in the centre of the park.
Will Sean Longstaff leave Newcastle for Everton?
According to 90Min, however, Newcastle have rejected Everton’s opening offer.
It is not certain how much the Toffees are willing to pay for Longstaff but, given that Benitez is pushing hard for the midfielder’s arrival, it would be no surprise if Everton returned with a second bid over the coming days.
“I’ve heard the Michael Carrick comparison and I can see that,” Benitez once said of Longstaff.
“Carrick, later on, became a holding-midfielder, but at this stage Sean has more mobility and plenty of stamina, he can cover a lot of ground.
“But certainly (like Carrick) he has the technique and can use both feet well. He is also a quiet type and is not someone who loses his head.”
Some have suggested that Longstaff could be used as a makeweight in a deal that would see Lucas Digne swap Everton for Newcastle.
According to 90Min, however, the out-of-favour Frenchman has little interest in joining a club in the heat of a relegation battle.
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