Newcastle Toons
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8 clubs battling to secure services of Newcastle United midfielder

By Durim Halimi

Newcastle United's English head coach Steve Bruce (L) congratulates goalscorer Newcastle United's English midfielder Matthew Longstaff (R) after the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James's Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on October 6, 2019. - Newcastle won the game 1-0. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Newcastle United's English head coach Steve Bruce (L) congratulates goalscorer Newcastle United's English midfielder Matthew Longstaff (R) after the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James's Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on October 6, 2019. - Newcastle won the game 1-0. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /
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The race for Newcastle United’s promising youngster is heating up as eight clubs from five different leagues across Europe hope to secure his services this summer.

Like the rest of the Premier League, Newcastle United are in isolation and the club has implemented a self-training program for players to maintain their fitness as best as they can on their own. Despite being away from the pitch, Newcastle United is still making headlines in the media.

More specifically, speculation regarding the future of Matty Longstaff has been a hot topic in the media over the last few hours. According to a new report from the Mirror, Arsenal are in pole position to land the 20-year-old central midfielder this summer, but the Gunners face competition from other clubs in the Premier League and across Europe.

The report continues to state that the other Premier League clubs interested in Longstaff are Everton and West Ham. The interested parties from the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Germany include: Ajax, Club Brugge, Inter Milan, Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund.

Some fans have been quick to criticize Newcastle United for failing to convince Longstaff to put pen to paper on a new deal, but it looks like the player’s agent has worked wonders to drag this process out. Longstaff has only made seven Premier League appearances for Newcastle United this season, but some European giants are lining up at the door as if he is an experienced star.

According to a local report from Tyneside, Longstaff is closer to the exit door than he is to the Newcastle United team room, and that is unfortunate. The Toon Army witnessed some individual brilliance from the youngster in the middle of the park this season, and his two goals – both against Manchester United – were pure class.

Longstaff is a talented player with plenty of potential, but he still has so much to learn. Longstaff has several areas to improve in, but, from the outside looking in, it certainly looks like money is being valued more than professional development.

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Steve Bruce deserves credit for giving Longstaff an opportunity to break into the first team, and he selected Longstaff over some of his key midfielders multiple times in big games. Longstaff’s representatives are praying for a move away from Tyneside in order to rake in more money, but aside from Club Brugge, there is no way that Longstaff would earn regular minutes for top teams across Europe.