Steve Bruce singles 'excellent' Newcastle United player out for praise

Sean Longstaff, 21, made a big impact at the club last season under Rafa Benitez – and is a transfer target for Manchester United.

Longstaff’s younger brother Matty, called up to the first-team squad in pre-season, played in both of Newcastle’s Premier League Asia Trophy games in China – and the 19-year-old caught Bruce’s eye in the club’s 1-0 win over West Ham United in Nanjing.

“Sean’s brother played really well in the 20 minutes against West Ham – I thought he was excellent,” said Bruce. “

“There’s nothing better than a young one coming through. Probably, Sean was thrown in at the deep end, and he swam straight away. If they’re good enough, there’s nothing better than a young player coming through. We’ll try and do that, give them the chance.”