Leeds ‘Pushing to Sign’ Once £50m-Rated Manchester United Target

Leeds United are “pushing to sign” Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff, with personal terms already agreed, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. The Whites have reportedly launched a bid worth up to £12 million for Longstaff, who would add much-needed Premier League experience to Daniel Farke’s side.

Leeds United ‘Pushing to Sign’ Former £50m-Rated Manchester United Target

What Do We Know So Far?

According to The Athletic, Leeds are keen to bring Longstaff, 27, to Elland Road this summer as they look to prepare for life back in the Premier League. The newly-promoted outfit have tabled an offer worth an initial £10 million with £2 million in add-ons and have already agreed personal terms with the midfielder. 

However, Newcastle have yet to reply to Leeds’ latest bid, which is the third offer they have made, and it is believed that the £12 million fee is close to the limit that United are willing to pay for the Englishman. The club have identified a number of other candidates if the move for Longstaff falls through, including Hoffenheim’s Anton Stach, as they hunt for a ball-winning specialist in midfield. 

Longstaff has a year remaining on his contract, and the academy graduate reportedly wants his boyhood club to be able to cash in on him now before he is able to leave on a free transfer next summer. 

Who is Sean Longstaff?

Newcastle born and bred, Longstaff has been with the Magpies since he was just nine years old and is a lifelong fan of the club. After season-long loan spells at Scottish side Kilmarnock and League One Blackpool, the midfielder was handed his debut back in August 2018 under Rafael Benitez, and quickly became a rising star at St James’ Park.

An outstanding debut season attracted the interest of Manchester United, then managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but the £50 million asking price slapped on Longstaff was deemed too steep by the Red Devils. The 27-year-old has now played 214 games in all competitions for his boyhood club, including in the Champions League, and was part of the Newcastle side that ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy last season. 

However, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton to compete with in the middle of the park, Longstaff’s playing time under Eddie Howe diminished sharply last season, with the Englishman starting just eight league games. It therefore appears that a move to Leeds would provide the regular game time that the midfielder is looking for.

What Would Longstaff Bring to Leeds?

With 171 games in England’s top flight under his belt, Longstaff’s vast experience would make him a highly valuable addition to Farke’s side, who are relatively inexperienced at Premier League level. Of Leeds’ current midfield options, only skipper Ethan Ampadu (26 appearances) has played in the Premier League, with both Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev newcomers to the top level. 

The 27-year-old is a hard-working, reliable midfielder who can operate as both a deep-lying midfielder and a box-crashing number eight, making him an ideal fit for Farke’s 4-2-3-1 system. The Newcastle man is both physically strong and tactically adept, and likes to keep his passing relatively simple to recycle possession and avoid unnecessary risks.