Jamie Redknapp has revealed how impressed he was by Newcastle United youngster Sean Longstaff in his side’s defeat to Tottenham at the weekend.
Writing in the Daily Mail, the high profile pundit and former England international claimed the 21-year-old “looked so cool” as he demonstrated how his family sporting pedigree has rubbed off.
“Sean Longstaff did not deserve to be on the losing side as Newcastle were beaten by Tottenham,” Redknapp told the Mail. “He is elegant on the ball, comfortable with both feet and, at just 21, did not seem overwhelmed playing against Spurs and in midweek against Manchester City.
“He has excellent sporting pedigree, too. His uncle is former Bolton and Celtic midfielder Alan Thompson and his dad David played ice hockey for Great Britain.
“No wonder he looked so cool at Wembley.”
OPINION
The evidence is growing that Newcastle have a real talent on their hands in Longstaff. Manager Rafael Benitez has been reluctant to promote the club’s youngsters in recent years, but he may have missed a trick in holding back the 21-year-old while persisting for so long with the likes of Mohamed Diame. Longstaff is a deep-lying central midfielder of genuine ability and has fully justified the four consecutive league starts he has been given in the injury absences of Diame and Jonjo Shelvey. Comfortable on the ball and able to intercept, track runners and run all day, he has clearly benefited from a loan spell at Blackpool, where he scored and assisted 15 goals from 45 matches in one season. Those are the numbers of a player who can win senior matches off his own bat. What has been so impressive about Longstaff in the last two games is that he’s stood up to be counted against sides of real quality who have made life difficult for Newcastle.