Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff has revealed Steven Gerrard tried to take him on loan to Rangers before he made his Toon debut.
Gerrard got in touch with his former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez 18 months ago asking about Longstaff's availability only to be told he was staying put because the midfielder was part of his plans.
“Rafa took me into his office and said Gerrard wanted me at Rangers and I sort of had my heart set on that a little bit,” he said.
“I was champing at the bit to play and said “I want to go” but he told me 'you're going to get your chance.”
Newcastle's survival hopes assessed after winless run brings relegation fears
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce criticised after 'honest' Joelinton goalscoring comments
“And I was over the moon because that was the opportunity I'd wanted since I was a little kid.
“Luckily, I was able to do that and ended up having a good little run.”
Longstaff had previously spent a season on loan in the Scottish Premiership with Kilmarnock.
Joining alongside fellow Newcastle loanees Freddie Woodman and Callum Roberts, Longstaff made 17 appearances and scored three goals in all competitions.
Newcastle United takeover in doubt as Amanda Staveley and Saudi talks 'fall flat without agreement'
Benitez previously spoke about Rangers’ loan move for Longstaff in an interview with the Athletic , saying: “In the summer (2018), Stevie called me about Sean Longstaff.
“Rangers were interested and he asked whether they could sign him on loan, but I told him “no” – he’d be staying at Newcastle United.
“Some people have said, 'Oh, Rafa was lucky because of Longstaff', but we’d been watching him and we were happy with him, we played him in the first-team, supported him and gave him confidence.
Read More
Today's top football stories on Daily Star
City don double denim for Madrid flight Liverpool fans named sexiest in league Haaland and Werner's tempting clauses Woodward vows United squad rebuild
“Turning Rangers down is proof of what we thought of Sean.”
Longstaff has since established himself as a key member of Newcastle's first team alongside his younger brother Matty and has even been linked with a bumper £50m move to Manchester United .
Source: Read Full Article