Leeds United have signed midfielder, Sean Longstaff from Newcastle United in a £15m transfer.
The 27-year-old was set to be out of contract at Newcastle next summer but the Magpies accepted a £15m offer from newly-promoted Leeds for Longstaff, which consisted of a £12m fixed fee plus achievable £3m in add-ons.
Longstaff’s move also ended his two-decade association with his childhood club where he graduated through their youth academy, and went on to score 16 goals in 214 senior appearances since his debut in a 3-1 loss at Nottingham Forest in the second round of 2018-19 EFL Cup.
Longstaff also was an unused substitute as Newcastle ended their 70-year domestic trophy drought with victory in last season’s EFL Cup Final (better known as Carabao Cup for sponsorship purpose).
Confirming his exit, Newcastle released a short statement thanking Longstaff for his contribution to the Magpies.
“Everybody at Newcastle United would like to thank Sean for his outstanding contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future.”
Longstaff meanwhile in his first interview as a Leeds player spoke of a memory of playing at Elland Road as a child but is excited to get going, in a move which has reunited him with ex Magpie, Karl Darlow.
“I remember obviously playing here as a little kid, nine, 10 years old. It is funny where life takes you. So to be back here now with the plans for the club and stuff, I think it is just really exciting to get going.
“I spoke to Darlow straight away, but I have got to meet everyone. It seems like a really good group. I have heard great things.”
The midfielder also spoke of Leeds’ effort to persuade him to make the move with a belief that they genuinely wanted to sign him which gave him confidence to leave Newcastle.
“I think there is something to be said for a team that wants you and a club that really wants you. I think from the first time I spoke to Leeds, I sort of got a feeling that they really wanted me.
“It just fills you full of confidence and it just makes you want to repay those people. It is a massive, massive football club similar to Newcastle in a lot of ways.
“It was going to take a lot for us to leave Newcastle to be honest and I wasn’t just going to leave to go anywhere so it had to be the right place for me and my family and I think this is a perfect place.”
Longstaff added that he is happy to now have the Leeds fans cheering him on rather than making Elland Road a daunting away ground.
“Every time I came to play at Leeds the atmosphere was amazing it was always bouncing and a really tough place to play and just looking forward to having that on my side rather than having to play against.”
Prior to his senior debut for Newcastle, Longstaff spent 2016-17 & 17-18 seasons out on loan at Kilmarnock and Blackpool respectively, during which he netted 12 goals in 62 total appearances across both loan spells.
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