Sean Longstaff hints at shock Newcastle transfer exit as academy graduate, 27, admits ‘I want to be valued’
SEAN LONGSTAFF has warned Newcastle United that he could move elsewhere unless he feels “appreciated” and “valued” with a new contract.
The midfielder, 27, was one of the best performers as the Magpies beat Arsenal last weekend.
That followed on from his return to the starting XI for the Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea.
The North Shields-born academy graduate is now competing with Brazilian internationals Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, Italian ace Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock and Lewis Miley for a spot in midfield.
After a sticky run of results, Toon are unbeaten in the seven matches he has started this term.
Longstaff said: “You’ve got friends who tell you but for me, you can look at stats whichever way you want.
“There’s always going to be people who – you can give them all the stats in the world and they’ll still have an opinion. That won’t change their opinion whether the stats are there or not.
“For me I just try to play my game, if we win brilliant, if not I’m just trying to look at what we can do better as a team and we’ll go from there.”
While some supporters feel Eddie Howe would be better playing one of the glitzier names instead, Longstaff says he is happy enough earning the praise from his colleagues and coaches rather than the fans.
He said: “I don’t flick the ball over someone’s head like Bruno does, that’s what catches the eye but there’s lots of ways to win a football match.
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“My job is to make them flourish as best as they can and get in the box and score goals when I can.
“I always put the team first, probably to my detriment sometimes.
“I’m a bit too humble for my own good sometimes but whenever I play you know what you’re going to get.
“I think you see the best from the people around me when I do play. As long as the changing room appreciates that and the staff appreciate that, it’s all that matters to me.”
Longstaff continued: “I think me and the manager have always had a great relationship.
“To be fair to him he’s never really listened to what other people think in the past. He’s always played me and I think there’s a reason for that.
“There’s stuff I’d love to say to you but I can’t. All I can do is play football and my value will ultimately be shown on the football pitch.
“Whether it’s when I’m playing or not playing, eventually if I keep doing the right things then one day everyone will see that and it might be when I’m not here anymore.
“If that’s the case that’s the case. I love the manager to bits. I can only thank him for helping my career.”
Longstaff claims he is “not sure” whether a 12-month extension to his current contract, which expires in the summer, has been triggered.
But he will not sign anything unless he feels he is getting his market worth after seeing a number of other team-mates, with Anthony Gordon the most recent, receive pay rises.
When pressed on if he sees his future at St. James’, he said: “Yeah, if it’s here it’s great. If it’s not, it’s not.
“I want to be valued as a player, I want to be appreciated as a player and whether it’s here, great. If it’s not here and it’s somewhere else, it’ll be somewhere else.
“In a way I live day to day, game to game and I just try and take in every game. I get to go to work every day and spend it with my best friends.
“I don’t know what’s coming ahead, I don’t know what’s coming down the line, I just try to embrace every day and enjoy every minute because ultimately it won’t last forever.”
Despite that contract issue going on in the background, Longstaff refuses to try to play down the Toon Army’s aspirations and dreams this season.
And he says that securing European football is the very least that Howe’s men must deliver.
Longstaff added: “You want to finish in the top four. There’s probably three teams that are definitely going to finish in there and then there’s four or five going for one spot in the CL.
“Europe’s the minimum but that’s looking too far ahead, we’re just focusing on week to week, getting better and if we play well and do the things we’re good at we’ll end where we deserve to be.”