‘I want’ - Sean Longstaff makes Newcastle United demand amid contract uncertainty

Longstaff was returned to the starting XI by Eddie Howe ahead of their win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup before retaining his place and starring in the victory against Arsenal at the weekend. The 27-year-old is a trusted and dependable member of Howe’s squad, but is out of contract at the end of the season.

The club are understood to have an option to extend the midfielder’s current deal, but Longstaff has admitted he is unsure on whether that has been triggered and has revealed that his future may lay away from his boyhood club. Asked if his future was at the club, Longstaff responded: “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.”

Newcastle United’s inconsistent performances this season has often seen the midfielder’s performances unfairly criticised on social media and Longstaff has responded to those criticisms, claiming his work on the pitch often goes unnoticed alongside his midfield colleagues.

“I think it was Aaron Rodgers who said a great quote about he would never take criticism from someone he wouldn’t go to advice for. I live my life by that.” Longstaff said.

“Ultimately a lot of people don’t recognise how we play, what the patterns are, what my role in the team is. 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. My job is to make them flourish as best as they can and get in the box and score goals when I can.”