It’s not often that transfers in football are so highly emotional, but Sean Longstaff’s departure from Newcastle United for Leeds United was one of them.
Leeds United announced the signing of Sean Longstaff at 9pm on Friday, July 18, once again showing that you never go to bed just yet.
Longstaff has been signed for an initial £12m, but the fee could increase to £15m if certain bonuses around appearances and Leeds avoiding relegation are met.
Leeds have tied Longstaff down to a four-year deal as he becomes the fifth signing of the summer transfer window, following Lukas Nmecha, Jaka Bigol, Sebastiaan Bornauw and Gabriel Gudmundsson to Elland Road.
Daniel Farke’s squad is beginning to take shape with the addition of the experienced, all-action midfielder, who might even make his debut in Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Manchester United.
Though he can’t wait to get going at his new club, Longstaff has admitted that leaving Newcastle was ’emotional.’
- Who is Sean Longstaff? Get to know the Newcastle United hero who has joined Leeds United in the transfer window
Sean Longstaff details ’emotional’ goodbye at Newcastle United
Longstaff is a Geordie born and bred. Literally born in the city. He signed for Newcastle when he was just nine years old and, other than two loan stints away, has been there ever since.
Leaving your boyhood club after nearly 20 years and all the connections you have there must be a tremendously difficult decision, one that Karl Darlow and Leeds helped Longstaff make.
Yet, saying goodbye wasn’t easy and Longstaff has admitted there were even tears from his former teammates as he left the Magpies’ pre-season training camp in Austria earlier this week.
He told Michael Bridges in an interview with the club: “It’s been a bittersweet 24 hours.
“Obviously, I was in Austria with the lads at Newcastle. Some of my best friends are there like friends for life.
“To have to walk away from them was really sad. [I] got a nice send-off, to be fair, from the staff and the players.
“It was a bit emotional, which was strange because you don’t really see that in football teams. A few lads bubbling and stuff, which was nice.
“But I think as soon as you leave and you land here and you get the training ground, you meet the people, and it’s really exciting.
“Football’s football, but I can’t wait to get going and really excited.”
Alan Shearer thanks Sean Longstaff for his service at Newcastle
Unless a player is retiring or heading off abroad to wind down their career, you don’t usually see their old club give them a touching goodbye.
But that was the case with this move, as Newcastle posted a lovely video to their social media channels highlighting Longstaff’s best moments at the club.
Tweets from Newcastle fans flooded social media, thanking Longstaff for his long years of service and wishing him the best of luck at Elland Road.
They will even get the chance to thank him in person pretty soon, as Newcastle travel to Leeds in the third match week of the upcoming season.
Longstaff, who appears to have been given the No.8 shirt, also shared the video on his social media channels, writing: “Thank you for everything.”
In addition, Newcastle’s official account also posted: “We can confirm that Sean Longstaff has completed a move to Leeds United.
“Joining the Academy aged nine, Sean made 214 senior appearances and cemented his place in club history as part of our Carabao Cup-winning squad.
“Wishing you all the best for the future, Sean,” with a black love heart emoji.
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