Home » Teams » Newcastle United » Why Newcastle’s new deal for their rising academy star would be a statement of intent

Why Newcastle’s new deal for their rising academy star would be a statement of intent

Why Newcastle United should prioritise a new deal for Matty Longstaff

According to The Telegraph, Newcastle United starlet, Matty Longstaff, is set to put pen to paper on a new long-term deal in the coming weeks, with the 19-year-old’s present deal at St. James’ Park set to expire next summer. 

Steve Bruce, though, has made it clear that older brother, Sean Longstaff, would need to do a lot more on the pitch if he is to earn a new deal with a pay rise, having already put pen to paper to pledge his future to the Toon Army last year. (h/t The Telegraph)

The emergence of the Longstaff brothers has been one of the rare positives for Newcastle in what has otherwise been a dismal last twelve months for the club faithful, with the Magpies finding themselves locked in a relegation dog-fight at the bottom of the table more often than not.

Image result for matty longstaff"
Matty Longstaff netted an absolute screamer on his Premier League debut against Man United last month (Getty Images)

While Sean Longstaff grabbed the headlines on several occasions following his impressive breakthrough last time around under Rafael Benitez, younger brother Matty has come to the fore with some impressive displays in the ongoing campaign.

The talented teenager, who played in the same Magpies youth setup as his older brother, has taken very well to the Premier League, much like a duck to a pond. His goalscoring heroics on his league debut against Man United last month should surely have endeared him to the hearts of the fans, who have been desperately crying out for some much-needed inspiration.

Having made his senior professional bow for Newcastle in the penalty-shootout defeat at the hands of Leicester City in the EFL Cup earlier in the campaign, Matty Longstaff scored his first senior goal against the Red Devils and followed it up with starts against Chelsea and Wolves in the subsequent Premier League fixtures.

Image result for matty longstaff"
The 19-year-old is out of contract at Newcastle next summer (Getty Images)

Up against the big boys in the Premier League, the highly-rated academy prospect has not only held his own in front of several more experienced and accomplished stalwarts, but he has also carved out a reputation for himself as a solid all-round central midfielder in the making.

The 19-year-old, who still lives with his parents, has expressed his desire to commit his long-term future to the club he has grown up supporting as a teenager, and Newcastle are now set to reward his transition from the development squad to the first-team with a brand new deal. (h/t The Telegraph)

To put things into perspective, Matty Longstaff is one of the few players at the club who has done enough to earn himself a new deal and Newcastle should not hesitate to put a fresh contract on the table in recognition of his rapid development.

Notwithstanding the fact that he delivered a man-of-the-match performance on his league debut against Man United, the 19-year-old is still very much in his formative years as a professional footballer and a new deal could possibly work wonders for his development moving forward. 

Image result for matty longstaff"
Longstaff has expressed his desire to pledge his long-term future to the club (Getty Images)

Newcastle haven’t had too many players graduating from the academy to the first-team in recent years and that is exactly the reason why the emergence of the Longstaff brothers has sounded music to the ears of the club faithful, who have been tortured to witness the Magpies’ fall in grace from European regulars to relegation contenders over the past few years.

Verdict

Man United’s interest in Sean Longstaff has been well-documented (h/t Sun) and while Newcastle have already tied him down to a long-term deal, Matty Longstaff also looks like a player in the same mould. 

To that end, Newcastle need to prioritise a new deal for him as soon as possible, with the 19-year-old’s present deal set to expire next summer.. 

Image result for matty longstaff"
Credits: Getty Images

More Newcastle United News

All in all, Newcastle offering Matty Longstaff a new deal would definitely be a step in the right direction and a stepping stone towards reliving the glory days of the past.