In the summer of 2019 Sean Longstaff’s head was in a spin. A year before, hardly anyone knew his name but after breaking into Newcastle United’s first team towards the end of 2018, his mature performances in midfield began turning heads.
He became a regular starter under Rafa Benitez and talks of an England call-up reached a head on the eve of the March internationals. But in the penultimate game, vs Declan Rice’s West Ham, Longstaff badly injured his knee.
Declan Rice earned his first England call up a couple of days later while Longstaff lay on the treatment table. But the injury wasn’t enough to deter interest in the exciting midfield prospect.
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That summer Manchester United approached Newcastle about a potential deal for the young midfielder, but were left ‘stunned’ by the quote. Mike Ashley, no stranger to a deal, slapped a £50 million price tag on his player.
Looking back on this period five years on, Longstaff now admits to FourFourTwo that he’s “not 100 per cent sure” how close a deal ever was between the two clubs.
“The club stated, ‘We want £50 million for you’ and you think, ‘Well, that’s because they’ve lost Rafa’ [who had departed that summer]. Then they said, ‘We’ll give you a new contract’, but they never gave me a new contract. It plays with your head a bit, and I just thought it was very disrespectful.”
The situation epitomised the dysfunction at Newcastle United in the final years of Mike Ashley’s ownership. Longstaff, however, remains philosophical.
“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. If that move [to Manchester United] had happened, I’d never have been about for the Newcastle takeover, I’d never have met this manager.
“There are so many things I wouldn’t have been able to do. I’m happy it didn’t happen in the end, because what I’ve gone on to achieve over the last two years – scoring in a League Cup semi-final, getting to play in a cup final, playing in the Champions League – have been things I never thought would happen playing for Newcastle.”
What people perhaps fail to appreciate is the pressure Longstaff would’ve felt during the summer of 2019, aged 21 with a serious injury to overcome and a potentially life-changing transfer being discussed.
“I was still so young. I’d probably deal with it differently now and not allow myself to get caught up in every little thing going on with it. I was coming back from my knee injury at the time, trying to get fit to prove I could still play.
“People are talking about you and have built you up so much that the perception is, ‘Now you’re like Lionel Messi’. Everyone was expecting too much. Meanwhile, I was in the gym thinking, ‘I can’t even do one leg squat’.”
There was a feeling of irony in October 2023 then, when Newcastle travelled to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the League Cup and Longstaff was named captain. One move he really didn’t see coming.
“Miguel Almiron and Bruno Guimaraes were in the changing room saying, ‘Oh, who’s the captain?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know – probably Dummy [Paul Dummett].’ When our kitman gave me the armband, I chucked it over to Dummy and he said, ‘What are you doing?’ I was like, ‘Was that for me? Oh, all right.’ That was a really special moment."
Newcastle winning the game 3-0 made it even more special. Longstaff was sure to keep his shirt and armband from the night to get framed, but there was drama in the Longstaff household shortly after the game.
“My missus washed the shirt and turned the white stripes green!” He laughs. “It’s sorted now: back to black and white. Jacob Murphy and Matty Ritchie said they should give me an armband every game – not even to be captain; simply put the armband on and pretend – because it’s the most focused I’ve been.”
He has Eddie Howe to thank for that, a manager he openly admits saved his Newcastle United career. Before the takeover and Eddie Howe’s arrival Longstaff admits he wondered if his future lay elsewhere.
“My contract was winding down and you think, ‘Ah, I’m probably not going to be here any more’ – then the takeover happens, the new manager comes in and you think, ‘Oh s**t, I’ve only got a year left on my contract and now I really want to stay here!’ It’s bygones. I love coming in every single day now, and hope I can be here for a while.”
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