Some Newcastle United fans have been reacting on social media to reports by the Chronicle, suggesting the club are still struggling to close contract talks with Matty Longstaff.
Head coach Steve Bruce has told the wonderkid midfielder that he envisages him – and brother Sean – playing a big part in the Magpies’ future, but is yet to see club chiefs end the on-going deadlock with the 19-year-old’s representatives.
Longstaff, for his part, would already have put pen to paper on a new deal if the club had offered him a reasonable salary, with suggestions that the Rotherham-born talent would be happy to accept a figure in the region of £25,000-per-week.
The teenager is currently earning £850-p/w, and is free to negotiate with clubs from abroad due to those terms expiring in the summer when Longstaff would be available for a compensation fee of around £400,000.
His situation is said to have already sparked some interest across the continent, with Inter and AC Milan both claimed to have contracts ready for the midfielder to sign – though the Chronicle suggest those reports are somewhat exaggerated.
Would £25k-p/w be too much for Longstaff?
Yes
No
Toon executives have not rushed to see Longstaff commit his future to the club, as they do not want to be seen as paying over the odds for young talents and breaking the structure currently in place.
It is also suggested that they are almost urging Longstaff’s camp to find him a better deal than the one the club have already put forward, and that owner Mike Ashley is up to date with the current state of the negotiations.
Longstaff has featured seven times in the Premier League this season after Bruce awarded him his top-flight debut at home to Manchester United in October, though has only called on the England U20 international to open three of our last 15 matches.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to the Chronicle’s claim of Newcastle chiefs struggling to break the impasse in talks with Longstaff over a new deal at St. James’ Park…
Am sorry like but if matty really wants to stay he will step in. And take over I cant imagine nufc offering that bad of a deal considering hes on 800£ a week atm but he also has to be realistic.
— Dean Dodds (@DeanDodds2) February 9, 2020
Ash is banking on that they’re locals, both fans and dont want to be apart yet. Any little loophole he’ll try and exploit. If he could get away with it, all the players would be on zero hours. Complete tin pot barrow boy, with no class! Old news.
— ANDY⚫⚪🦓 (@andybiotix) February 10, 2020
He’s going to the Bundesliga
— Dameo1892 (@DamianPearce89) February 9, 2020
If he has ambition why would he sign a new deal with the current regime.
— pandersonpa (@09277e3c8329476) February 9, 2020
This’ll end up in tears for us
— Luxfordinho (@Luxfordinho) February 9, 2020
Just offer him the going rate for an up and coming,promising premier league player. Simples.
— mark mccormack (@markmcc35559617) February 9, 2020
Fatty wont bend
— David Singleton (@mindblower46) February 9, 2020
In other Newcastle United news, a Toon icon has urged the club to wrap up “crucial” deals amid an on-going stalemate.