Celtic are reportedly keen on Newcastle United playmaker Sean Longstaff.
Newcastle United haven’t had the best of success rate in terms of bringing through young players from their academy in recent years, and Rafael Benitez’s record over his career in that area isn’t great either.
Yet, the Magpies do have some promising talents coming through, and playmaker Sean Longstaff is chief among them at the age of just 20.
The Newcastle-born playmaker has come up through the ranks with the Magpies, and has impressed in loan spells with Kilmarnock and Blackpool.
This summer, Longstaff was kept around the Newcastle first-team for pre-season, with manager Benitez seemingly impressed with the youngster’s talent.
However, Longstaff has made just one appearance for the Newcastle first team, and that came in the Carabao Cup against Nottingham Forest last month.
Newcastle now face a key period with Longstaff, as The Chronicle report that Celtic are interested in luring the midfielder to Scotland, having scouted him in action for Newcastle Under-23’s against Southampton.
A boyhood Newcastle fan, the Magpies will be Longstaff’s priority and preferred club for his future, but he must receive playing time from manager Benitez to convince him that St. James’ park is the best place for his development.
If Benitez doesn’t do that, then he will make Celtic look like a very appealing alternative for the youngster, and Newcastle surely don’t want to lose their top prospect after years of failing to bring through youngsters.
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