Martin Dubravka wasn’t the only loanee to return to the club today with the younger Longstaff brother returning from his loan spell at Colchester United in much different circumstances.
Matty Longstaff was stretchered off the field on Boxing Day as Colchester beat Gillingham and has since had scans which have confirmed that he has sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
The club confirmed his return today via their website where they wished Matty well on his recovery.
It’s devastating news for Longstaff who has had a torrid time at Newcastle recently after bursting onto the scene in some style with a fizzing goal against Manchester United. Since then, Matty has found himself in and out of the team and also shipped out on loan several times. Never with any real indication as to where his future lies.
He was due to return to Newcastle in January anyway, and would probably have been loaned out again, but now he faces a long recovery and with his contract expiring this summer, it’s increasingly likely that we’ll not see local lad, Matty Longstaff in the black and white of Newcastle again.
It’s a shame that he never managed to reach his potential at Newcastle after such a promising start to life in the first team, especially as he has to watch his big brother, Sean becoming a mainstay in the first team.
We wish Matty a speedy recovery and fingers crossed he finds his place in the future.