This on the board – Exclusive: Pundit reacts after terms of landmark Newcastle deal agreed
Noel Whelan has ripped into the board at Newcastle United after Matty Longstaff finally signed a new contract at St James’ Park.
The former Leeds United striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge, insists that “things haven’t been done right at Newcastle for a long, long time” after the 20-year-old was allowed to run his old terms down.
The Magpies confirmed on Saturday morning that the homegrown midfielder had put pen to paper on a new two-year deal on Tyneside to end the speculation over his future.
However, Whelan believes that the board were too focused on the prospective takeover at St James’ Park and neglected their duties to tie Longstaff down.
Whelan told Football Insider: “I think sometimes it’s not just the manager, it’s the board that needs to do the negotiations and get their players tied up.
“The manager can ask and tell them but then it’s down to them to get the ball rolling and it doesn’t surprise me it’s taken so long, things haven’t been done right at Newcastle for a long, long time.
“You had the speculation of the takeover going on as well and I think that probably halted the progress as well because what’s the point of tying down a player if a certain manager might have been coming in, replacing Steve Bruce and did not want this player.
“I think they were looking ahead more than looking right now at the present time.”
The midfielder, who is the younger brother of fellow Newcastle star Sean, played a total of 15 times for the senior side last season.
He was handed his full league debut back in October by Steve Bruce and made it a day to remember by scoring the winner against Manchester United at St James’ Park.
In other Newcastle United news, a south coast side have opened talks to sign a defender from the Magpies.