A solution for Matty Longstaff’s future at Newcastle United

With a contract offer from Newcastle United and interest from Italy, there’s an interesting path that may serve Matty Longstaff best.

Outside of the looming uncertainty with the takeover, one of the questions for the near future at Newcastle United is the contract uncertainty of Matty Longstaff. He has a contract extension offer from the Magpies and interest from Udinese in Serie A.

From the young midfielder’s perspective, there are benefits to both places. At Newcastle, he gets a chance to play for his boyhood club with his older brother. In Italy, it’s a new adventure and a position where he may get more playing time to develop. But, there could be a path that gets him the best of both situations.

Signing an extension with Newcastle United then going on loan to Udinese or elsewhere might make sense. He would get a chance to play consistently away from Newcastle. That would give him the chance to see how good or bad he’s had it with Newcastle and then consider his options on a potential full move.

Then, he could eventually get his chance to become a key player in the Magpies’ midfield a year or two in the future. Isaac Hayden’s deal expires after next season and Nabil Bentaleb’s loan ends after this season. In a couple of seasons, a Newcastle midfield group could be highlighted by the Longstaff brothers and Jonjo Shelvey.

It will be a blow to Newcastle if they lose Matty this summer for nothing. He’s shown flashes that he can play at the Premier League level and it would be great to see him as a building block for the foreseeable future at NUFC.