Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff has admitted he is flattered to have been linked with a big money move to Manchester United.
The 21-year-old home-grown talent burst on to the first-team scene at St James’ Park under Rafael Benitez last season before a knee injury ended his breakthrough campaign.
Now battling back to full fitness, he was the subject of a £25 million bid from the Red Devils earlier this summer.
Newcastle rejected that offer, but it is expected they will return with an increased bid before August’s transfer deadline.
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Longstaff said he is concentrating on the task of getting himself fit again on the club’s pre-season training trip to China, with new head coach Steve Bruce now in charge.
“If somebody had said to be me a year ago I would be in this position, I would probably have laughed at them," he told The Chronicle this week.
All Positive
“This time last year, I was deciding whether to go to League One on loan. A year on, you are seeing your name linked with one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“For me, it is all a positive really. It gives you even more confidence. When I was in for a short amount of time, people took notice of me.
“It is flattering, but my job is at Newcastle. The new boss is coming in and it’s a clean slate for everybody – including me.
“I just get my head down and work on the pitch. Like anybody knows, you are no use to anybody if you aren’t fit.”