Newcastle United: Sean Longstaff set to stay and compete with Ayoze Perez
By Durim Halimi
Rafa Benitez intends to keep Sean Longstaff at Newcastle United and this adds more competition for the number ten role.
Rafa Benitez has decided to block Sean Longstaff’s loan move to Portsmouth to give the youngster some first team experience with Newcastle United. Longstaff has impressed Benitez in the club’s first three friendlies and the Spaniard wishes to see more from the promising midfielder.
The primary objectives of preseason friendlies are to give young players opportunities to showcase their talent and improve the general conditioning of the first team roster. In both regards, Longstaff has exceeded expectations in his three appearances this summer. The 20-year-old midfielder played well in all three friendlies and boasted impressive physical stamina.
With opening day only 11 days away, it will be interesting to see how much playing time Longstaff will get for the Magpies. However, Benitez will be more keen to see how well the youngster competes with Ayoze Perez for the number ten role.
Sean Longstaff vs. Ayoze Perez
Ayoze Perez is no longer the lone attacking midfielder on the roster as Sean Longstaff will remain on Tyneside. Perez will be Benitez’s primary option for playing the number ten role in the starting eleven, but Longstaff will be expected to fight for his place on the team sheet.
At present, Longstaff is at the bottom of the pecking order in Newcastle’s midfield, and rightfully so. To be exact, Longstaff is most likely second from the bottom as Isaac Hayden’s transfer request is not sitting well with Benitez.
When compared to Perez, Longstaff does not look like a contender for taking the starting job away from the Spaniard. Perez has improved his form every season and his eight goals and five assists were of crucial importance for Newcastle during the 2017-18 campaign.
With that being said, Benitez wanted to keep Longstaff for a reason. Longstaff will provide the Magpies with more depth behind the front-line and will add internal competition in training. Perez is reportedly being scouted by Spain and will look to impress Spanish scouts, while Longstaff will be playing with urgency to prove he is worthy of playing in the top flight.
This combination of young, aspiring talent only benefits Newcastle. With Benitez in charge, it will be interesting to see how Longstaff handles the pressure of playing at an elite level. What is more important, however, is that Longstaff has been given a golden opportunity to advance his career.