According to The Athletic, Sean Longstaff would’ve become an Everton player if Rafa Benitez kept his job at Goodison Park.
What’s the story?
Well, the £23,000-a-week Newcastle man’s name popped up in The Athletic‘s coverage of Premier League transfers which never materialised.
According to the report, Benitez saw Longstaff as the ideal fit to add some energy and steel to his midfield at Everton.
The 24-year-old is out of contract in June, and the Toffees were said to have submitted a bid worth just £1m, according to the Daily Mail.
Newcastle rejected the offer, and the Chronicle believe talks are underway with Longstaff over a new contract.
The Newcastle No.36 has started ten Premier League games this season, although he has not always been selected to start by Eddie Howe.
Following the signing of Bruno Guimarães – and the repositioning of Joelinton – Longstaff has now been shoved even further down the pecking order.
Everton signed better players than Sean Longstaff
Longstaff is a good player, although the Everton fans are surely far happier with the fact they signed Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek instead.
The Athletic believe Frank Lampard was keen to add more attack-minded midfielders to his squad, rather than a holding midfielder like Longstaff.
In our view, Alli and Van de Beek should work well under the 43-year-old, who was arguably the greatest goalscoring midfielder of all time.
As aforesaid, Howe isn’t starting Longstaff every week, and you would presume more money will be thrown at signings this summer.
In that respect, Longstaff might not fancy signing a new deal, so Everton would be wise to keep tabs on the situation.
After all, if Lampard can add the Geordie to a midfield of Alli and Abdoulaye Doucoure once Van de Beek departs, it would be an exciting move.
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