Leeds United summer transfer would guarantee Newcastle United punishment by UEFA rules

Longstaff has made over 200 appearances for Newcastle since graduating from the club’s academy. The 27-year-old midfielder has scored 16 goals for his boyhood club, including one against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and a brace in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Southampton in 2023.

But this season Longstaff has not been a regular starter in the side. Sandro Tonali’s return from a betting ban and subsequent form has seen Longstaff reduced to a substitute role.

Joe Willock’s return from injury and Lewis Miley’s progress after being called up from the academy has also brought added competition.

Longstaff’s last Premier League start came in a 4-2 defeat at Brentford in early December. He has been an unused substitute in each of Newcastle’s last two matches as well as the Carabao Cup final. With Willock and Miley the preferred midfield substitutes by head coach Eddie Howe.

Newcastle United trigger Sean Longstaff deal ahead of summer transfer decision

Longstaff’s contract at Newcastle was set to expire in the summer before the club triggered an extension to keep him contracted until 2026. The decision was financially motivated as the club would not want to risk losing an academy graduate and a player that they could potentially sell for ‘pure profit’.

Longstaff remains a highly-rated player by head coach Eddie Howe but, with just over a year left on the player’s contract, Newcastle will be open to offers for Longstaff this summer

“His role is to be ready to play, ready to come on and I have trusted him in big games where he has come on and played his part in those wins,” Howe said when asked about Longstaff’s role in the squad. “We are going to need the whole squad in our league season.

“His long term future is slightly more unclear. But what I can say is that behind the scenes, Sean has been very good, helping the group, training to a high level and I cannot speak highly enough of him as a player.”

Sean Longstaff addresses Newcastle United future

Speaking earlier this season, Longstaff was open when discussing his future at Newcastle.

“I want to be valued as a player, I want to be appreciated as a player and whether it’s here great,” he said. “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.”

Sean Longstaff linked with Leeds United & Everton moves

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And fresh reports from i News have seen Leeds United linked with a move for Longstaff once again. Leeds have been interested in Longstaff for a while but can now act of their interest after securing a return to the Premier League after two seasons away.

While Newcastle will consider any sizeable offers this summer, they will be punished by UEFA as a result.

Sean Longstaff sale would see NUFC punished by UEFA rules

With European football guaranteed for Newcastle next season, the club will have to adhere to specific squad rules when playing in UEFA competitions.

UEFA rules require at least four club trained players to be named in a squad in order to fill the full 25-man quota for the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League. It’s the rule that saw club-trained player Paul Dummett named in Newcastle’s Champions League squad over the likes of Matt Ritchie, Emil Krafth and Javier Manquillo last season.

But after losing Dummett and Elliot Anderson last summer, Longstaff is Newcastle’s only senior club-trained player. Lewis Miley can also be classed as club-trained but, as he’s under 21, he does not need to be included in the main squad list.

Selling Longstaff would leave Newcastle without any club-trained players and would force them to reduce their European squad size to just 21 players for whatever UEFA competition they play in next season. After struggling to deal with the added fixtures of European football last time around with three club-trained players, having a reduced European squad for next season could be seen as a risk for Howe’s side.

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