Rafa Benitez shares what he told Sean Longstaff about Newcastle future

Follow us on Google Discover

Rafa Benitez told Newcastle United youngster Sean Longstaff that he wants to keep him around rather than loan him out this season.

In comments reported by the Chronicle, Rafa Benitez has suggested that he has told Sean Longstaff that he plans to keep him in and around the Newcastle first-team for the time-being as he feels that his development would be best served not heading out on loan.

Longstaff is undoubtedly the academy prospect making the greatest claim to force his way into Benitez’s plans at St James’ Park this season. The midfielder was excellent in pre-season and certainly left the Spaniard with a decision to make regarding the plans for him for this term.

In some ways, his push towards the first-team may have been the exact reason that he may have headed out on loan as regular game-time could be crucial to the 20-year-old. But Benitez has suggested that he plans to keep the prospect in his ranks for the time-being.

“I have had a conversation with some of them and told them it is better to be around. The experience to be close to the first team now could be really good for them,” he said, as reported by the Chronicle. “They will have time to go out and play in another division we can do it in January. I have had a conversation with Sean Longstaff and told him it’s good for him to stay around.

“He is learning from Shelvey and Diame. He is learning from players who have quality and experience.”

Longstaff may well prove to be a real beneficiary from another frustrating transfer window for Benitez. He has seemingly not been able to land all of the targets he wants to sign in the summer, and that may force the Magpies boss to use all of the depth within his squad over the coming campaign.

And that may open the door for Longstaff to get a prolonged chance to impress in the senior side. And based on the way that he played in pre-season, there seems little reason to believe that he could not rise to the challenge brilliantly and quickly establish himself as a player to keep a very close eye on.

Newcastle now face a daunting run of games as they look for their first win in the Premier League this term, with a home game against Chelsea being followed by an away trip to Manchester City, while Arsenal await in the first fixture following the international break.