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Should Longstaff be on England’s scouting report?

By Durim Halimi

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 11: Newcastle player Sean Longstaff in action during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United at Molineux on February 11, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 11: Newcastle player Sean Longstaff in action during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United at Molineux on February 11, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) /
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Newcastle United have many players who represent 18 nations, but one player is starting to stand out and deserves a chance with England.

Jamaal Lascelles and Jonjo Shelvey have always been the two Newcastle United players linked to England, however, Gareth Southgate should turn his attention to Sean Longstaff. The 21-year-old has exceeded expectations on Tyneside with his form over the last two months. The youngster was initially used to fill a void for injured midfielders, but now Longstaff has solidified his place as a regular starter for the Magpies.

Going from a loan spell at Blackpool to playing with Newcastle’s academy squad and then being thrown into the mix in the Top Flight would be a daunting task for any player, but Longstaff has adjusted better than anyone could have imagined.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 02: Rafael Benitez, Manager of Newcastle United shakes hands with Sean Longstaff. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 02: Rafael Benitez, Manager of Newcastle United shakes hands with Sean Longstaff. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

The fact that a Champions League-winning manager like Rafa Benitez deems Longstaff to be a reliable player carries a lot of weight. Southgate should, at the very least, pay St. James’ Park a visit to scout the youngster in person. Everyone has praised West Ham’s Declan Rice for quite some time now, but pundits are now starting to speak highly of Longstaff.

Longstaff: Good Fit for England?

He is still young and developing his skills, but it would be wrong to ignore this talented footballer. Longstaff was said to be on the radar of England’s Under-21 squad, but he is too good to play with junior teams. He has excelled in the Premier League and has gone up against some tough opponents such as Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham and he was even named the man of the match on multiple occasions this season.

Despite not having any goals or assists to his name, Longstaff has had a meaningful impact at Newcastle and he is a big reason why the Magpies have picked up so many points since the start of the new year. He has good vision with the ball at his feet and is aggressive when trying to win it back. Longstaff plays with composure as he knows how to intercept crucial passes, he maintains possession well and his movement off the ball is underrated.

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If Longstaff was called up to play for England, his impact obviously would not be the same as it is for Newcastle, but he would provide good internal competition and depth to the roster. Seeing that England were drawn in an easy qualifying group for EURO 2020 comprised of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Montenegro and Kosovo, Southgate should not be afraid to give the youngster from Tyneside a chance to represent his country as a substitute.