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Report: United expected to make approach for £25M-rated Sean Longstaff

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Manchester United are expected to submit an opening offer for Newcastle United's £25-million-rated midfielder Sean Longstaff this week, according to The Telegraph's James Ducker.

The Red Devils have already struck deals for Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka this summer at a cost of around £65 million, and the club is apparently keen to wrap up a third incoming transfer before embarking on its preseason tour of Australia and the far east on Sunday.

Longstaff earned his first senior outing for Newcastle in December 2018 when he appeared as a substitute during a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool. The local lad soon established himself as a Toon Army favorite, making eight Premier League starts from mid-January until early March, when he was cruelly sidelined for the remainder of the campaign due to a knee ligament injury.

The 21-year-old would satisfy United's new policy of signing young British players, and he'd address an area where Ole Gunner Solskjaer's squad seems to lack depth. Paul Pogba is unsettled, and he apparently irked his manager after stating a desire to find a "new challenge" last month. Nemanja Matic and Fred have also been unconvincing in central midfield, and Ander Herrera left Stretford when his contract expired this summer.

One of the few positives in the middle of the park for United has been Scott McTominay, the 22-year-old who emerged from the academy during Jose Mourinho's reign. However, he started only nine league matches last term.

Solskjaer is reportedly due to hold talks with Pogba about the Frenchman's future before the first leg of the team's summer tour in Perth. Most of the squad reconvened on Monday, but Pogba isn't joining his teammates until Wednesday after playing for France in last month's European Championship qualifiers.

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