Steve Bruce ready to sanction loan move for midfielder after frustrating campaign

The Newcastle United midfielder endured a frustrating campaign last season after signing a new two-year deal at the club.

Longstaff – who broke into the first-team squad the season before last, and scored home and away against Manchester United – played just 377 minutes of Premier League football, and didn’t feature beyond mid-January.

Of those who played in the top flight, only 18-year-old Elliot Anderson had less minutes on the pitch.

Newcastle had blocked a January loan move for the 21-year-old, who had been a target for Watford, since promoted back to the Premier League.

However, the Gazette understands that the plan this season is to loan out Longstaff, who was a target for Italian club Udinese before he signed his contract last summer.

Longstaff admitted his second season as a first-team played “hadn’t gone to plan” in an interview last month.

"This year has been a big learning curve for me,” Longstaff told BBC Radio Newcastle “Last year, I kind of got thrown in and I thought I did pretty well, got a few games under my belt, but this year hasn't really gone to plan.

"But, as I said, it's been a big learning curve, and you have times like these in your career which are tough, and you have to get through it, but hopefully next year can be a big one, whatever may happen."

Bruce addressed his relationship with Longstaff in March after the player turned out for the club’s Under-23 side.

“It’s fine,” said Bruce. “I have the same every week. I can only pick 11. I’ve got 15 others who are champing at the bit, disappointed.

"Matty, at the moment, is not in the side, but let’s not forget he’s got a huge, big future. There’s no question about that. He had a big rise last year, and finds himself not in the team. He has to stick with it. His time will come again, that’s for sure.”

Newly-promoted Norwich City have been linked with a loan move for Longstaff along with Championship clubs Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion.

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