One step forward and two steps back if Newcastle United actually sanction ‘expected’ double exit

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Newcastle United would be making a major mistake if they sell both Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock this summer. 

While Newcastle United will need to let players go this summer, gutting the midfield options behind Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton seems like an almighty risk. 

Indeed, Newcastle could spend £150million this summer but there are key areas in which they must strengthen. 

Right now, midfield isn’t one of them. Eddie Howe has his current star trio, along with Willock, Longstaff and Lewis Miley as options. 

However, by cashing in on both Willock and Longstaff, the club threaten to leave the Newcastle United manager light. 

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Why Newcastle United shouldn’t sell both of Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff

According to The Daily Mail, both midfielders are “expected” to leave.  

Willock has been linked with Crystal Palace, while Leeds are interested in Longstaff. 

While Newcastle could raise money by selling both, they’ll need replacing. Miley could be handed a more prominent role next season, but it’d still mean Howe would have only four central midfielders to cover three positions.  

Howe usually plays with a 4-3-3, so he generally needs three central midfielders fit at the same time. While Tonali and Guimaraes haven’t really struggled with injury since joining Newcastle, they cannot be expected to play every game next season with the added strain of the Champions League schedule.

The club could, of course, replace both Willock and Longstaff. Still, there isn’t an endless pit of money to play with this summer, and there are currently more urgent areas that need strengthening.

They need depth up front, on the right wing and in central defence. To willingly add midfield to the list of positions they need signings in feels unwise. 

Selling one of them makes sense, particularly as any money banked for Longstaff would count as ‘pure profit’ on the club’s balance sheet given he’s an academy graduate.

Cashing in both, however, feels like a gamble. 

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The other players who could leave Newcastle United this summer

Naturally after the end of a season, there are other players who are expected to leave the club this summer.  

Callum Wilson could leave Newcastle despite contract talks, along with John Ruddy. 

Newcastle want to sell Matt Targett too, with the left-back having struggled for game time. 

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Of those names, Longstaff and Willock do look like the most sellable assets in the Newcastle United squad without impacting the first-team too much.  

However, with more games to come next season and money needing to be spent elsewhere, allowing both to go in the same summer seems unwise. It’s a squad game, and Newcastle’s was decimated by injury the last time they were in Europe.