What is the story?
Newcastle United's newly-appointed boss, Steve Bruce, is confident that Sean Longstaff will be staying at the club despite the interest from Manchester United. Hence, the Red Devils might be forced to concentrate their search for a midfield option elsewhere.
In case you didn't know...
Longstaff, 21, enjoyed a breakthrough season for Newcastle United last term. Coming through the youth ranks, the youngster made nine appearances for Rafael Benitez's side in 2018-19.
In order to strengthen the Red Devils' midfield options, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been tracking the English youngster. However, according to reports, Longstaff's valuation of £50m stunned Manchester United.
Speaking to the media ahead of the friendly game against Tottenham Hotspur, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer provided transfer updates regarding United's ongoing transfer business. He said,
“I'm very happy with the two players we've brought in, but now we've got to be patient. This is a long haul and it is very important we get the right ones in.We can't just jump onto a different path if we hit a hurdle. My feelings are that I am not frustrated at all."
The heart of the matter
Speaking to the media, Steve Bruce, the manager of Newcastle United, confirmed that the club doesn't want to sell their young players. The former Manchester United defender said:
"We don't want to sell our best young players, that's for sure. So, that won't happen. I'm very confident [Longstaff will not leave]."
What's next?
Manchester United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has remained in the United Kingdom to continue the pursuit of Longstaff. Additionally, there have been reports suggesting that Solskjaer is willing to break the bank for Sergej Milinković-Savić instead of spending lavishly on Longstaff and Bruno Fernandes.
The Red Devils, meanwhile, are slated to play Kristiansund in their next pre-season fixture on the 30th of July.