Kevin Kilbane has told Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff to reject any interest from Manchester United this summer.
“A good player [but] it’s still too early in my mind,” Kilbane told Off The Ball, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News.
“He’s not played enough football, certainly at the top level. The games that I have seen him play, very good footballer and a technically good footballer.
“[But] it’s too early for that one. Bad idea for now.”
I can gather Kilbane’s logic here as a lot of big moves has turned out to be disastrous for young promising players — see Jack Rodwell at Manchester City circa 2012-2014 — but, at the same time, how does a player like Longstaff say no to a club the size of United?
The opportunity may not come around again.
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I’d argue for a young player like Longstaff, now is the perfect time to join United.
The team is in need of a rebuild and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to conduct that task by adding young homegrown talent to the squad. Doesn’t Longstaff fit that profile?
Other players linked with moves to United this summer include Daniel James of Swansea City, as per The Sun, and West Ham’s Declan Rice, as reported by The Express.
So, given that is the profile of player United are seemingly trying to attract, why does Kilbane think it’s such a bad idea for Longstaff to leave St. James’ Park for Old Trafford?
