Newcastle United star drops transfer admission bombshell after £35m deal as contract decision looms
Sean Longstaff admitted he felt at risk of being sold by Newcastle United in June as the club scrambled to comply with PSR.
Newcastle had to make up a significant shortfall by June 30 in order to satisfy the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules and avoid a points deduction heading into the 2024-25 campaign. Ultimately, the club raised the funds needed through the sales of Yankuba Minteh to Brighton for £33million and Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest for £35million.
Anderson’s sale represented ‘pure profit’ for the club with the 21-year-old progressing through the academy.
“Yes, it was really disappointing [to see Anderson leave],” Longstaff told The Gazette. “Elliot was a massive part of our team, on the pitch, off the pitch.
“He was a massive part of it and I think when we saw it, we were in shock. We’re not stupid, we'd seen all the stuff with financial fair play and who was on the table and who wasn't on the table and stuff.
“I think at that point, the way it seemed, I think everyone sort of had their price and yeah, unfortunately for Elliot, the day after it was done, I think we were all in running together and he came in and you just sort of gave him a big hug.
“But hopefully he's going to use it as a positive and yeah, maybe he's not going to be seen as the young lad at Newcastle anymore and he'll get a bit more respect for how good he is and hopefully for him he can kick on and have a really good season, just not against us!”
As an academy graduate like Anderson, Longstaff admitted he felt at risk of being sold himself.
“Yeah, I think so,” Longstaff responded when asked if he thought he could leave. “I mean, I don't know how true the stuff was. I think each sort of situation is slightly different without getting too deep.
“So yeah, like I said, you've just got to focus on yourself and whatever happens, happens. And like I said, Elliot, unfortunately for us, was the one that had to go and yeah, for us, it's just now about focusing on who's here and having a really successful season here.”
Longstaff has just returned from a pre-season tour of Tokyo in which he played 90 minutes in the 2-0 defeat to Yokohama F. Marinos at the Japan National Stadium on Saturday.
“We got to see a bit of Tokyo and stuff. It's a place that not a lot of us have probably been before. I can't imagine it's probably on the holiday destinations for some of us!
“No, it's been a really enjoyable experience. People have been lovely and I really enjoyed it.”
The 26-year-old played through injury for the majority of last season but often saw his performances subject to scrutiny despite posting his best scoring figures for the club in the Premier League. Longstaff scored eight goals for The Magpies during the 2023-24 campaign, including one at the Gallowgate End in the 4-1 Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain last October.
But, being a Geordie, Longstaff feels he can be an ‘easy target’ for criticism alongside Dan Burn.
“I think sometimes me and Burny especially when it's not going as well, I think we're sometimes easy targets, probably Miggy [Almiron] as well to be honest,” he added. “Like I said, we just want to stick together as a group, whether it's good or bad, we try and stay as level as possible.
“We're not stupid, we sort of see a bit of it, but all we can do is stick together and try our best on the pitch. We've got to look at the last two years - finished fourth, finished seventh, we’ve got to a cup final, it's been a really successful two years and this year is another year where we need to kick on and try and be successful.”
On his scoring return, Longstaff added: “I think one of the things where you've done it at lower levels and in youth teams and stuff, and then you're waiting for that season where you do it in the Premier League and then suddenly it's like, ‘oh yes, I can do it’.
“You can set yourself individual targets and obviously got great players around us, you can get in the right positions you've got to try and put the ball in the net and the more I can do that, I think the better it is for the team and the better it is for me, so I'm going to try and do a lot more.”
Although Longstaff survived Newcastle’s PSR fire-sale in June, there is still more than three weeks remaining in the summer transfer window. The midfielder is into the final year of his contract with this summer the last chance for the club to command a significant fee for the player unless a new deal is agreed.
Longstaff couldn’t provide an update on his contract situation and when asked if he wanted to remain at the club long-term, he responded: “Yeah, I just want to play football. I've been in Newcastle for a long time.
“So, for me, my goal since I was eight was to get another contract in Newcastle and that sort of mindset hasn't changed. So, for me, it's just about proving my worth to the team, to the manager, and what will be, will be.”