Exclusive: Newcastle player told to follow in footsteps of Gazza after Sky reveal
Noel Whelan has urged Matty Longstaff to follow in the footsteps of Paul Gascoigne and move to Serie A after Udinese tabled the Newcastle United midfielder a lucrative deal.
The former Leeds United striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs, claimed the 20-year-old will only improve if he is playing regular first team football which he will not get at St. James’ Park.
Sky Sports revealed last week that the central midfielder has been offered a £30,000-a-week deal with a healthy signing-on bonus to join Udinese.
Newcastle’s original contract offer was just half of that figure but the club have returned with an improved deal worth over £20,000-a-week.
Longstaff, who is out of contract on 30 June, has scored three goals in 12 appearances this season.
When asked by Football Insider if a move abroad could be beneficial for the England Under-20 international, Whelan said: “Is he going to be playing week in, week out at Newcastle next season? Probably not. He will be a bit-part player.
“He needs to think about his own career and being somewhere where he is a permanent fixture in a side. That is the only way to progress his talent.
“I know he is Newcastle born and bred and he supports the club but you have got to start your career off somewhere.
“With this takeover looming there is a lot of players who may be surplus to requirements because they will be looking for international quality players to break into the top-six. He needs to look after himself.
“Playing in Italy is an attractive proposition – Serie A is a strong league again.
“It would only develop him, experiencing that continental style of football. I think the Udinese offer is hard one to turn down.
“Gazza has been over there for Lazio, they love a Geordie over there!”
In other Newcastle United news, Paul Robinson has told Football Insider club should learn from ‘phenomenal’ Leeds.