Kevin Campbell has given his reaction to the news that Newcastle United are now in talks with Sean Longstaff over a new deal.

The Lowdown: Contract talks

As per The Times, the North East club are in talks with Longstaff over a new contract at St. James' Park, given that his current one on Tyneside expires in the summer.

Eddie Howe and senior figures at the Magpies are 'eager' for him to stay for the longer term, at a club that he has been at since he was nine years old.

The local lad has made 20 appearances in all competitions this season, including 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge in the controversial defeat last weekend.

The Latest: Campbell reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Campbell, who is a pundit for Sky Sports, has since given his reaction to the update, claiming that keeping Longstaff in the squad will be 'massive', believing the new deal may have even come as a 'shock' to him:

“I think home-grown players are going to be so important for a club like Newcastle.

“To have that player in the squad, and that real connection to the fans with one of their own will be massive.

“He was probably expecting to leave the club at the end of the season – so this may well have come as a bit of a shock to him.

“Eddie Howe has probably had a look at him and decided he could be a useful player to keep around.

“If the vision at Newcastle is as grand as we expect, they’re going to be playing a lot of games. Everyone will get their opportunities.”

The Verdict: Keep

With the new riches at the club's disposal, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium are likely to dip into the foreign market once more in the summer in order to attract some of the best players abroad to the Premier League, like they did with Bruno Guimaraes in the summer transfer window.

Thus, home-grown players like Longstaff will be important for the culture at the Toon, and also strengthen the connection with the supporters.

Nonetheless, he is having a fine season so far, ranking highly among his teammates in terms of average tackles and pass completion per game in the top flight, while he has also chipped in with a goal and an assist (WhoScored).

Longstaff gives Howe a solid option in the middle of the park, and so there is no reason to let him go this summer.

In other news, find out what big NUFC update this injury expert has now revealed here!