Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has revealed that midfielder Sean Longstaff is "very close" to signing a new deal with the club.

The 24-year-old's current deal with the Magpies expires in June, and after three years of stalled discussions, he looked set to leave St James' Park on a free transfer at the end of the season.

However, the Newcastle boss has said that the academy product looks set to extend his stay in the North East, with a four-year extension due to be agreed soon.

Speaking ahead of Newcastle's Premier League game with Arsenal on Monday evening, Howe said: "I expect a positive resolution for Sean, yeah. Fingers crossed. It's very close to being done. I'm actually day-to-day in charge of that but fingers crossed we can get it over the line."

After breaking into the first team under Rafa Benitez in 2018, Longstaff impressed enough under the Spaniard to see him heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in 2019.

However, since then, the midfielder has found himself in and out of the first team, particularly under Howe, with Longstaff starting just 13 Premier League games this season. body check tags ::