Eddie Howe has been told the figure he could sell a midfield man for is “a lot of money” and he should take it and “bring in somebody” to improve the side.
The Magpies have fallen back slightly from their top season a year ago. Indeed, in Howe’s second season in charge, and second of the PIF era, he guided his side to fourth in the Premier League.
That landed Newcastle their first Champions League campaign in two decades.
But they struggled, failing to make it out of the group, and their Premier League form dipped, too.
Indeed, they fell to seventh in the table by the end of the campaign, and will have no European football at all next season.
That should give Howe’s side chance to focus on the league and get back to the heights they previously experienced.
But they might have to do that without some players that have helped them in recent seasons. Big names Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak are both the subject of interest from big clubs – Arsenal and Manchester City for the former, and Chelsea the latter.
Whether or not they leave remains to be seen, but Howe has been told to push one man out and replace him.
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Howe told to sell Longstaff
Indeed, Frank McAvennie feels Sean Longstaff could bring in a sum of money that could be spent one a better player.
“£20million’s a lot of money, and they could bring in somebody,” he told Football Insider.
“Longstaff’s alright, but he’s not a top player is he, at the moment? I think Newcastle are setting their sights higher and whatever why they’ve got to do to get there they’ve got to do it.”
Leeds and Leicester have preciously been linked, though whether either are going to pursue the midfielder remains to be seen.
And McAvennie feels the only reason Longstaff may not be sold in favour of a better player is that he rouses fans given he’s a local lad.
“The only thing I’ll say is, fans love homegrown players; they absolutely adore them, and it depends who they bring in to soften it, that’s the crunch,” he said.
Longstaff will want to leave
While he played 35 of 38 Premier League games last season – scoring six goals and assisting two – McAvennie feels Longstaff will have been told he’ll be moved on.
“But the guy’s got aspirations to go and play football; he’s obviously been told he’s not going to get that, or the club has to sell to bring someone else in,” McAvennie added.
“He’ll be kept up to date; I can’t see Eddie Howe not mentioning why he’s leaving and all that. I think Eddie would’ve sat down with him and had a chat.”
