Newcastle Utd News

Magpies land welcome boost as £20m Newcastle ace distances himself from St James’ exit – report

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Newcastle have landed a welcome boost in the transfer market, as Sean Longstaff has distanced himself from saying his farewells to St James’ Park anytime soon, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

Reports on Longstaff’s future have varied from promising to worrying day-by-day until now, as it was understood he was not even a target of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer straight after his name was first linked with a move to Old Trafford.

It was then suggested the Red Devils would be making a move, but there were also claims that they had not even made an enquiry about the North Shields-born star, let alone an official offer, and that we should have no reason to expect a bid coming our way.

His name has not stopped being connected with Solskjaer’s mass rebuild of Manchester United, though, and no matter how much we would hate to see him leave, there is still speculation the Norwegian will make a £20million-plus approach in the coming weeks.

Thankfully Longstaff does not appear interested in the idea of ditching the Magpies for Manchester, as he has distanced himself from a potential transfer.

“It shows how far I have come,” our academy product told reporters when asked about United’s interest. “If someone told me at the start of the season I’d be getting linked with these teams I’d have laughed.

“I’m massively flattered to have my name even mentioned in those conversations, but like I said, I’m 100 per cent focused on Newcastle and trying to get fit and get back in the team here.

“I have had a small taste of it, and I want more. I want to get fit and be in [the squad] for a whole season.”

Longstaff went on to discuss his stint away from Rafa Benitez’s first-team and how his recovery from a serious ligament injury is going, noting he had to learn how to walk again.

“I was in a brace for eight weeks and had to learn to walk again,” he added. “Learning to be more confident with the knee and putting load into it. Doing simple things again, then jogging and running and weights in the gym.

“I was flying at the time [of the injury against West Ham] and I broke in the team, and it was going well, and it got ripped away, which was not nice.

“Players get injuries, but at the time it felt like a blur. Going from the highest of highs to rock bottom, and the negative thoughts come and you wonder if you’ll get back [out] there.

“’I am back running and kicking the ball. That is massive for me. It is tough being out so long. My first proper injury after the best two months of my life. To have that taken away was pretty horrible.”

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