Club is hoping Longstaff will sign new deal

SEAN Longstaff could soon follow in fellow academy graduate Paul Dummett’s footsteps and sign a new Newcastle contract, says UNited boss Eddie Howe.

The midfielder’s deal expires in the summer and the club are trying to tie the 24-year-old down to fresh terms to avoid him leaving on a free transfer.

While there is interest from home and abroad in Longstaff, Howe has made it clear he still sees the homegrown ace as a valuable member of his squad.

“I hope we can get a positive resolution with Sean,” the head coach said.

“Hopefully, that one is moving quite well - and in the right direction – but until he has signed the contract, I cannot say for definite.”

Contract talks broke down between the player, former boss Steve Bruce and former managingdirector Lee Charnley in 2019 but were resurrected earlier this year.

United have recently announced new deals for defenders Dummett and Fabian Schar and have been keen to get Longstaff to join them for a while.

Reflecting on the new one-year deal for stalwart Dummett, signed on Thursday night, Howe said: “He has a great, great personality and is Newcastle through and through.

“Paul loves the club, loves everything connected with the club. I still think he hasa lot to offer on the pitch.”

■ WORK to move Alan Shearer’s statue on stadium land at St James’ Park appears to be under way.

Newcastle United’s new owners applied to the city council to move the statue to the steps of the Milburn Stand.

Commissioned in 2016 by former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd, the statue currently lies just outside of the stadium on Barrack Road - but work has now begun to move on to club land and just yards from the statue of Sir Bobby Robson.

The council approved the application from the new owners to move the statue - something fans and Shearer himself have welcomed.

Workmen could be seen building a boundary wall and readying the plinth the statue will stand.

Fans could be seen taking photographs of the work which many hope may be completed in time for the final home game of the season against Arsenal. The two teams meet on Monday, May 16.

It follows the renaming of ‘NINE BAR’ back to the original name of Shearer’s. The new signage went up last month in a move which was applauded by fans.