Rafael Benitez’s previous admission suggests Newcastle United’s Sean Longstaff could be better off elsewhere

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Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley, Bristol City and AFC Bournemouth are understood to be interested in Newcastle United youngster Sean Longstaff.

No Newcastle United academy graduate has forced his way into the starting XI on a regular basis since Paul Dummett (above) made his breakthrough in 2013.

Though Magpies fans have hope that Sean Longstaff will buck the trend. The 19-year-old North Shields-born midfielder is yet to make his senior bow in Newcastle colours but has offered a tantalising glimpse of his potential during an excellent loan spell at Blackpool in League One.

Longstaff has scored four goals and created three assists in just eight games for Gary Bowyer’s side while his penchant for a long-range rocket has ensured his performances have caught the eye from other clubs higher up the footballing pyramid.

The Chronicle claims that Newcastle’s Premier League rivals Bournemouth, as well as Championship trio Bristol City, Barnsley and Bolton are keen on landing a player who only recently signed a two-year contract on Tyneside.

And, if Rafael Benitez’s comments about Newcastle’s young players are anything to go by, Longstaff upping sticks and continuing his development elsewhere may not be the worst idea.

“The ideal situation would be to bring a couple of players from the academy each year but if you want to compete at the highest level it is difficult,” Rafael Benitez told the Sunderland Echo earlier in the year.

“If you want to do that you have to bring in players from outside, or abroad, to compete with the other teams.”

Needless to say, this does not bode well for Longstaff’s hopes of making an impact in Newcastle’s first-team. The likes of Alex Gilliead, Ivan Toney and Adam Armstrong have been sent out on loan rather than been given a chance by Benitez and you wonder where, or when, Longstaff’s opportunity will come from.