Staveley has just dropped big hint about 23-year-old at Newcastle – our view

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Now that Newcastle United have been successfully taken over, there’s a few big issues for Amanda Staveley and co to resolve.

The biggest and most pressing is regarding manager Steve Bruce, who admitted after the announcement that he is fearing for his job [The Daily Mail].

But another major issue at Newcastle which needs fixing is Sean Longstaff.

The 23-year-old is a local lad but one who is out of contract at St James’s Park in 2022, next summer.

But Staveley might’ve just dropped a hint that signing Longstaff up to a new deal is very much a priority.

Speaking to The Chronicle is an article released on Saturday, Staveley said: “I want to see more local kids from here play for Newcastle, that’s so important. Sean Longstaff is in the team and is local and I know Matty has gone elsewhere.

“It’s about building a solid foundation on every level, from the Academy to the top team.”

Hint

Staveley is spoken like a woman who knows the history of Newcastle and the importance of bringing local talent through to the first team.

Longstaff’s emergence in recent years is a rare but pertinent example of what academy gems can do when given the chance.

And it does sound very much like she has no intention of letting the player run down his contract.

Leaving on a free would be bad business first and foremost, but it would also send the wrong sort of message if Newcastle don’t do everything they can to keep one of their own in the North East.