Why Manchester United should stay away from Sean Longstaff
Back in October, the Daily Star had confirmed that Manchester United chief Ed Woodward was ready to splash the cash for Newcastle United youngster Sean Longstaff.
Manchester United tried to sign the midfielder in summer but the negotiations failed after Newcastle’s demand of £50m for their academy graduate.
Sean Longstaff, 22, made his debut in a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool last season but he became a consistent member of the squad. He then missed the latter half of the term due to a knee injury.
However, this season has not gone well for the youngster. He had earlier admitted that he was flattered by Manchester United’s interest in him.
Lately, he has been finding it hard to make it to the matchday squad, barring a few occasions. He then received his marching orders against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month, which eventually halted his progress.
Meanwhile, Manchester United have been doing well recently after a poor run of results. After being 2 goals down during half-time at Bramall Lane, United pulled back 3 in the next half. Oil McBurnie’s last-minute goal ended the match in a draw.
All said and done, the Red Devils would be better off without signing Sean Longstaff.
United already have an array of midfield options. Fred seems to have regained his form and with Scott McTominay’s rise to the top, they do not need more players in that role.
Andreas Pereira and Jesse Lingard are also available at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s disposal. The return of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic would surely boost their confidence as well. Juan Mata is another option available from the bench.
Longstaff’s inclusion to the squad would not be ideal for the manager, as the youngster has lacked form this season.
Not only would he mostly be on the bench, but with a surplus of options in midfield, Longstaff would find his chances very limited.
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Verdict
Manchester United should avoid signing him for now and allow him to stay put at Newcastle to continue his development.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils would be better off looking for a striker to add depth to their attacking ranks.