Steve Bruce reveals when he expects Newcastle United will get a Matty Longstaff contract decision
It’s decision time for Matty Longstaff at Newcastle United, according to manager Steve Bruce.
The England under-20 international’s short-term extension is due to come to an end following the Magpies’ final game of the Premier League season on Sunday week.
And Bruce believes we will know either way by then, with Longstaff staring at the St James’s Park exit door.
“For the last few weeks I’ve been answering on Matty Longstaff. I think I’ve made my stance pretty clear – we’ve done everything we can to keep him here, it’s up to him now,” said Bruce, who side take on Brighton on Monday night in their penultimate encounter of 2019/20.
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"We think a lot of him and his progress was fantastic up until Christmas. Then it’s got into far too long with negotiations and football shut down for four months.
"It’s up to Matty. We can only ask that question and see. In the next week or so, we’ll find out if he’s going to stay or if he’s going to move on.”
When asked whether he would be disappointed to see the player leave, Bruce pointed to the fact it was himself who handed the 20-year-old his Magpies chance.
"Of course I’d be disappointed to see him go,” he said.
"I put him in and his progress was fine up until Christmas. He’s a young lad. I hope he stays, I’ve made that pretty obvious.”
Negotiations with Longstaff have, in recent weeks, reached an impasse, with the player’s representatives exploring options elsewhere, with United unwilling to budge on their current offer and assurances.
It has been reported Longstaff has been offered around £25,000 per week to remain on Tyneside, while Serie A outfit Udinese are reportedly keen on Longstaff.
It is understood while it has been reported as such, negotiations were not purely based around cash with the player wanting certain assurances about a pathway to the team.
Longstaff has been benched, used by Bruce for a rare cameo after the restart, in favour of the likes of loan man Nabil Bentaleb and defender Fabian Schar getting game time in the centre ahead of the North Shields lad.