Eddie Howe’s Friday Press Conference Hints at Sean Longstaff’s Likely Newcastle Exit

As the season has progressed, Sean Longstaff’s involvement on the pitch has significantly diminished.

The midfielder has struggled to get meaningful minutes, often restricted to brief appearances off the bench.

Had it not been for Newcastle’s strong run to the Carabao Cup final in January, it’s likely the 27-year-old would have been sold during the winter transfer window.

However, he remained part of the squad, given a temporary reprieve with the hope of helping his boyhood club end its long trophy drought—a dream that ultimately became reality.

Newcastle did offer Longstaff a new contract last year, but not necessarily with the intention of retaining him long-term.

Instead, the deal was structured to ensure the club could collect a transfer fee upon his eventual departure.

As an academy graduate, any fee received for him would count as pure profit in terms of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), potentially giving Newcastle greater financial flexibility in the transfer market.

Given these circumstances, it seems increasingly likely that Longstaff will move on this summer as the club prepares for a period of transition.

His reduced role and the contractual situation both point to an impending exit.

Even Eddie Howe, when asked about Longstaff’s status during a recent press conference, acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding his future.

While he praised Longstaff’s attitude and contribution behind the scenes, his comments hinted that a departure is on the cards.

“His role is to be ready—ready to play, ready to come on. I’ve trusted him in big games, and he’s contributed,” Howe said.

“We need the whole squad for the remainder of the season; we’ve got nine big games left, and everyone must be prepared.”

When speaking about Longstaff’s future more directly, Howe added: “His long-term future is slightly more unclear.

But I can say that behind the scenes, Sean has been excellent.

He’s trained at a very high level and supported the group tremendously. I can’t speak highly enough of him as a person.”

Those remarks offer perhaps the clearest indication yet that Longstaff’s time at Newcastle may be drawing to a close.

While he remains a valued figure within the squad, all signs suggest a summer exit is on the horizon.