Southampton are keen on a move for Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff, as reported by the Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Saints start off 2021/22 in lacklustre fashion

Starting off the new campaign with a disappointing 3-1 collapse away to Everton, Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl will be under no illusions that further additions may be needed in order to provide adequate strength in depth to breed success in 2021/22.

Busy in the transfer market, the Austrian has brought in six bodies in the form of Armando Broja, Theo Walcott, Dynel Simeu, Valentino Livramento, Romain Perraud and Adam Armstrong [Transfermarkt].

Now, they could be set to add an anchor man to the St Mary’s ranks owing to recent developments.

The Latest: Southampton keen on Longstaff, Everton also interested

Southampton are interested in a move for 23-year-old Longstaff, with his price-tag rumoured to be set at £10 million by the Magpies [Daily Mail].

His contract at St James’ Park is due to expire next summer, whilst he turns 24 in October which signifies that his current employers wouldn’t receive any development fee should he choose to run down the deal.

Everton are also attracted to the possibility of bringing Longstaff to Goodison Park, potentially reuniting the 5 foot 11 ace with his former manager Rafael Benitez.

The Verdict: Longstaff would be an astute signing by Southampton

Relatively inexpensive in the modern-day market for a young, English talent, Longstaff would represent an astute piece of business by the Southampton hierarchy.

As speculation continues to rumble on surrounding the future of Saints captain James Ward-Prowse, looking into contingency plans should be a key priority for Hasenhuttl in the present.

In 2020/21, Longstaff scored a solitary goal in 27 appearances for the Toon in all competitions [Transfermarkt], but he is really known for his ability to recycle possession effectively, recording a passing accuracy of 81.5% across the last term in the Premier League [WhoScored].

He was once praised by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, after stellar performances by him and Isaac Hayden in a 2-1 win over the Citizens in 2019. The ex-Barcelona manager stated: "We could not deal with Newcastle’s holding midfielders” [Chronicle Live].

Moving into the final stretch of the recruitment window, the Saints should look to snap up Longstaff ahead of rival competition for his signature.

In other news, Southampton fans want a 17-year-old wonderkid at St Mary’s. Find out more here.