Newcastle United post an emotional farewell video as Sean Longstaff speaks on signing for Leeds United in his first interview.
The 27 year old North Shields born, who had one year left on his contract at St James’ Park, has signed a four-year deal with Leeds, for £12m plus potential add-ons.
The move ends his 18-year association with Newcastle, having come through the ranks at the Magpies. And the club posted a heartfelt goodbye on their socials…
We can confirm that Sean Longstaff has completed a move to Leeds United.
Joining the Academy aged nine, Sean made 214 senior appearances and cemented his place in club history as part of our Carabao Cup winning squad 🏆
Wishing you all the best for the future, Sean 🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/JhObvWTQGQ
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) July 18, 2025
Sean Longstaff. Local Boy 🖤 🤍 pic.twitter.com/fs3jBqmvzL
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) July 18, 2025
As can be heard in the video above: “First and foremost will always be the joys to score in the Champions League.
“He’s given so much and done so much with a football club. Losing Sean’s a tough one. You know he’s got the club’s best interest in his blood.
“He will be a massive miss around the place, can normally hear his laugh the second that he come out of the train and he’s a huge personality.
“He’s loved by everyone. He gave his all in every training session. He gave his all in every game. And he had some memorable matches for us.
“The amount of time he’s spent here and the appearances he’s racked up, there’ll not be many local lads that manage to live the dream like that. Definitely one of my best mates in football. Love you, man.”
Thank you for everything, @NUFC 🖤🤍 pic.twitter.com/No8qFSMB08
— Sean Longstaff (@seanlongstaff97) July 18, 2025
NEWCASTLE STATEMENT:
Midfielder Sean Longstaff has completed a permanent move to Leeds United for an undisclosed fee.
The 27-year-old, who was born in North Shields and joined the Academy aged nine, departs St. James’ Park with 214 appearances and 16 goals to his name.
Sean progressed through the club’s youth system, via productive loan spells at Kilmarnock and Blackpool, before making his senior Magpies debut in August 2018 away to Nottingham Forest.
His first Premier League outing followed later that season, coming on as a second-half substitute against Liverpool at Anfield, and he soon became a mainstay in the team under Rafa Benítez.
Sean’s first top-flight goal came in February 2019’s home victory over Burnley, but it is his strikes in the cup competitions for which his time at the club will be best remembered.
His semi-final brace against Southampton clinched a place in 2023 Carabao Cup final and later that year he was on target in the unforgettable 4-1 UEFA Champions League defeat of Paris Saint-Germain.
Sean cemented his place in Newcastle United history as part of last season’s Carabao Cup-winning squad, with his decisive penalty in the shoot-out victory over Forest setting the Magpies on the road to Wembley and the club’s first major domestic trophy in 70 years.
He also made a notable impact off the pitch, regularly supporting the local community through his work as a Newcastle United Foundation ambassador.
Everybody at Newcastle United would like to thank Sean for his outstanding contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future.
LEEDS STATEMENT:
Leeds United are delighted to announce the signing of Sean Longstaff, who joins the club from Newcastle United for an undisclosed fee.
The midfielder has signed a four-year deal at Elland Road which will keep him in West Yorkshire until the summer of 2029.
Our fifth signing of the window arrives at Leeds having made 25 appearances in the Premier League last campaign for the Magpies, helping them to qualify for the Champions League. He was also a key figure in ending a 70-year trophy drought at St. James’ Park by winning the League Cup.
After enjoying important loan spells early in his career, Longstaff made his debut for Newcastle in a 2018 cup tie with Nottingham Forest and has since gone on to represent his boyhood club over 200 times in all competitions.
A first goal in black and white came in a 2019 victory over Burnley. Longstaff continued to offer a goal-threat from then on and enjoyed a strike from distance, or a battle in the air, having netted 16 times in the top-flight.
Sean brings experience on the European stage from his time on Tyneside having made five appearances in the UEFA Champions League in the 2023/24 season.
Starting in the heart of the midfield in a goalless draw at the San Siro against Italian giants AC Milan, our newest recruit then starred in a 4-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain where he scored the third goal in a memorable evening at St. James’ Park, as well as facing Borussia Dortmund both home and away.
Everyone at Leeds United would like to welcome our fifth summer signing to the club and we look forward to seeing Sean in action for the Whites.
🤩 “Over the moon!” pic.twitter.com/kZ708CJXrP
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 18, 2025
Speaking exclusively to LUTV after joining the Whites, the 27-year-old explained his delight at making the move.
“I remember obviously playing here as a little kid, nine, 10 years old. It is funny where life takes you. So to be back here now with the plans for the club and stuff, I think it is just really exciting to get going.
“I spoke to [Karl] Darlow straight away, but I have got to meet everyone. It seems like a really good group. I have heard great things.
“I think there is something to be said for a team that wants you and a club that really wants you. I think from the first time I spoke to Leeds, I sort of got a feeling that they really wanted me.
“It just fills you full of confidence and it just makes you want to repay those people. It is a massive, massive football club similar to Newcastle in a lot of ways.
“It was going to take a lot for us to leave Newcastle to be honest and I wasn’t just going to leave to go anywhere so it had to be the right place for me and my family and I think this is a perfect place.
“I got to watch pretty much all the games and see a team that was really exciting to watch, athletic, really good on the ball.
“Every time I came to play at Leeds the atmosphere was amazing it was always bouncing and a really tough place to play and just looking forward to having that on my side rather than having to play against.”
Fans reacted after Newcastle post emotional farewell as Sean Longstaff speaks on signing for Leeds…
@ToonPolls: Great film. Some memorable and important goals. Wish him all the best at Leeds. Right move for all parties.
@NUFCMurph: Lived a Geordie Dream, all the best Sean
@MissVJFxx: We’ll look after him xx
@CraigIrvine93: The man who lived every Geordie boys dream. Good luck Sean.
@Nusc2023: Something in my eye 🥲
@Bear_Size: Good luck Sean! I know you’ll boss it at Leeds. Always believe in yourself and you’ll be great 👍
@BeckyLangley4: All the best Sean. A player who took a real interest in the NUFC women’s team and every aspect of the club! 💪🏽💪🏽
@AdamGre42160044: Says it all about a player if your old club does this for you. We will look after him
@chaffer73: Wow. What a send off. Personally as a Leeds fan, I think we’ve got a steal. Brilliant player with so much experience which is what we need.
@foxy_james: Leeds fan here great video! we will look after him don’t worry up the toon and all the best for the season. MOT
@Kershaw444: To hear Eddie and Burn speak so highly of Longstaff, to read all the positive comments around the impact he had at the club, in the dressing room every single week, really pleased we got this deal over the line #lufc
@Airze86: Was time to go but lived the dream every Newcastle fan would want hope he goes on to see out what is already a very decent career….. even with him being from North Shields 🖤🤍
@joeypayne17: Brace to send us to Wembley. Goal in our greatest European night. Penalty to kickstart a cup run that ended a generation-spanning trophy drought. Geordie 🏴🏳️
@Missnufc85: Thank you wor @seanlongstaff97 you have lived the dream for every geordie! What a lad 🖤🤍
@Craig_Miller89: Cracking servant. Scored the winning pen to send us on our way in the cup! Right time to move on but some memorable moments! All the best
@lukemonaghaan: Fantastic player for us over the years! Was pivotal in the team that stayed up when Howe came in, great move for him too!
