Bruce hopes Longstaffs will stay but contract impasse continues
Posted on February 17th, 2020 | No Comments |
As we revealed in our previous blog, 21 year old Sean Longstaff is still receiving only £692 per week in a contract which lasts until 2022, whilst his 19 year old brother, Matt, isn’t listed and his contract will be ending at the end of the season.
Speaking on the contract negotiations before the Arsenal game, Bruce said:
“They’re ongoing… As I’ve said many times now, I hope we can get the two of them tied up but players these days have their own prerogative, so we have to respect that as well.
“Matty is the most important one because his deal runs out [at the end of the season] and obviously he’s got advisers who will be advising one thing.
“I had a conversation two weeks ago and I am desperate for him to stay but there has got to be ground given on both sides, I would have thought, but at the minute we can’t get there.
“I will be kept abreast of the situation but one thing I am not going to get involved in nowadays, is contracts.”
Bruce, who played for five clubs in an remarkable 926 game career then turned reflective, adding:
“Back in the day, some of the rows I had over contracts and money. Both sides have got to be happy and at the minute, there is a bit of an impasse but I am confident we will still get it done.”
Mike Ashley has a reputation for playing ‘hardball’ during negotiations, which has certainly worked for him in the world of retail, but in football his lack of knowledge combined with hubris has led to poor decisionmaking and two relegations. To put it another way, Ashley is the kind of owner who might spend £40 million+ on a striker who never scores even though he was warned against it, but let the Longstaffs go over peanuts. Let’s hope not.
NUFCBlog Author: workyticket
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