Alex Bruce – the son of Newcastle United boss Steve – says his dad “loves” Matty Longstaff, believing he’s the one talent on Tyneside he’s most excited by.
This comes from one of several interviews Alex has done on all things NUFC, with this one focusing on the young player Steve Bruce has the biggest hopes for.
When asked by Football Insider which Newcastle United talent is his dad ‘getting most excited by’, his son Alex had this to say:
“Matty Longstaff..
“Dad loves him, he says to me he’s done great when he’s come in and played.
“Difficult for a young lad to come in and play every week in the Premier League, the demands of the Premier League.
“Any young player will tell you that, but when you get to my age now and you look back on your career you’re a little bit up and down until your consistency levels (balance out) and you know what’s required of you week in, week out.
“It takes a while to get to that level.”
It says a lot that Bruce believes Matty is our best youngster and the player he’s most excited by at Newcastle, yet we’re at risk of losing him on the cheap this summer with his current deal due to expire in just a few months time.
His energy, fearlessness, eye for goal and ability to make good runs into the box has been impressive whenever we’ve seen him this season (even if he has left our defence a little too exposed in doing so), however the impasse that’s been reached regarding a new contract is a growing concern.
The Chronicle reported over the weekend that he’s now received an offer from an ‘ambitious European club’, so his future really is in the balance as things stand.
Lee Ryder has previously claimed that Matty would happily sign if offered a weekly wage of around £25,000. It’s a BIG increase from what he’ll currently earn, yet would make him one of the poorest paid players in our first-team squad, so it doesn’t sound like he’s asking for the world.
With Bruce rating him so highly and the player himself living the dream alongside his brother at their boyhood club, it’s time we got this contracted sorted once and for all.
