Sean Longstaff Changes Agent Ahead of Potential Newcastle Exit
By Tom Gott
Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff has signed with agent Pini Zahavi, who is expected to try and engineer a move away from St James' Park for the 23-year-old.
Once tipped to make a £50m move to Manchester United, Longstaff has endured a challenging few years at Newcastle. His current contract runs until 2022 and he is yet to show any signs of penning an extension.
He has, however, signed a deal with Zahavi, with the Daily Mail suggesting that the Isreali agent has already discussed securing a potential move away from the north east for Longstaff.
One potential destination could be Tottenham, and Zahavi is understood to have told Longstaff that a move to Jose Mourinho's side could be possible if he chooses to push for a move away from Newcastle.
It is thought that Longstaff is keen to get his future sorted out soon. Talks over a new contract first began in early 2019 but were quickly postponed after he picked up a serious knee injury, leaving both sides to wait patiently before getting back to the negotiating table.
Once talks did resume, Newcastle are thought to have been left unimpressed with the demands of Longstaff's former representative, and all the uncertainty is believed to have taken its toll on the young midfielder.
Zahavi, who also represents the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Neymar, will give Newcastle another chance to offer a suitable contract to Longstaff, but he is ready to look for a transfer if no such proposal is forthcoming.
Whether Tottenham would actually be interested in Longstaff is unclear. Mourinho appears to be settled with midfielders Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Moussa Sissoko and Tanguy Ndombele, so splashing out on a new option will likely be fairly low on Mourinho's to-do list.
Newcastle are keen to keep their academy graduate, just as they worked tirelessly to convince brother Matty to stay when his contract expired during the summer.
The Magpies are prepared to sit down with Longstaff to try and thrash out a new contract, but if talks break down again, Zahavi does have a reputation of getting on the phone to other clubs.