Everton ‘eye’ move for 210-game Newcastle United star amid contract uncertainty

After flirting with the relegation zone at the beginning of the season, Everton have dragged themselves away from danger and currently sit 15th in the Premier League table, 16 points away from third-from-bottom Ipswich Town. With a match against West Ham on Saturday, the Toffees could enter the international break all-but safe from relegation with nine games of the season still to play.

With a move to their new stadium to come next season, securing their top-flight status was a necessity and whilst not yet mathematically guaranteed, they can begin to plan for the summer transfer window under David Moyes. And as reports over Everton’s potential business begin to emerge, speculation linking them with Longstaff has also grown.

The Newcastle United man is an important part of Eddie Howe’s squad, but has seen his influence in first-team matters wane in recent weeks and months.

Everton transfer ‘interest’ in Longstaff

According to TalkSport, the Toffees are ‘eyeing’ a move for Longstaff this summer with Moyes, who has enjoyed a very good start to life back at Goodison Park, a ‘big admirer’ of the midfielder. Longstaff has made 210 appearances in all competitions for his boyhood club, although has found minutes hard to come by in recent times.

The emergence of Sandro Tonali as part of a very solid trio alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton means that Longstaff has had to be patient for gametime. Joe Willock and Lewis Miley have both been preferred to the 27-year-old off the bench in recent matches as well with both players handed starts in the FA Cup and Premier League ahead of their midfield colleague.

Sean Longstaff contract latest

Longstaff has just over a year left on his current contract at St James’ Park after the club triggered an option to extend his deal by a year earlier this season. A quirk of the Premier League’s much maligned Profit and Sustainability Rules mean that Newcastle United can record any money they receive from selling Longstaff as pure profit on their balance sheet - with that money being able to be stretched further on new signings.

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It means, therefore, that losing home-grown players on free transfers is something that cannot be considered in the current climate but, as Longstaff hinted back in November, there are no guarantees over his future on Tyneside. “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,” Longstaff said when questioned on his future at the club.

“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.”

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