Leeds gain huge Sean Longstaff green light as Farke focuses attentions to sparkling Ligue 1 winger–report

Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff with a Leeds uniform Photoshopped over him and, inset, winger Jeremie Boga
Newcastle’s Sean Longstaff with a Leeds uniform Photoshopped over him and, inset, winger Jeremie Boga

Newcastle United are said to have accepted Leeds United’s third offer for Sean Longstaff, with the departure hailed as a big gain for their PSR and future transfer activity, while the Whites have reportedly offered for an exciting Nice talent who might become summer signing number six.

The Whites are stepping up their transfer activity as they prepare to go on their mission to ensure Premier League survival. While the six teams that were promoted to the top tier were all immediately relegated, Daniel Farke is motivated to break the norm and is trying to enhance his Leeds United squad for the challenges that lie ahead.

After signing Lille left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson as number four of the summer window on Tuesday, the West Yorkshire club is now aiming to go forward with two more transactions, with Longstaff expected to be the next to sign.

Our correspondent Darren Witcoop disclosed on Monday that Leeds were stepping up their pursuit of the Newcastle midfielder, with The Athletic following up on our news by stating that a £12 million contract (£10 million up front with £2 million in bonuses) had been offered to the Whites.

According to The Chronicle’s print edition (9 July, pg 42), Newcastle have accepted the Whites’ bid for the 27-year-old midfielder, who has now requested time to explore a move down to A1 with Leeds United.

However, with David Ornstein reporting on Tuesday that the Whites had already agreed personal terms with the North Shields-born midfielder about a move, there is growing hope that the 278-game veteran will accept the move, with his contract at St James’ Park expiring in a year and the player falling down the pecking order under Eddie Howe.

While Leeds awaits a full green light to complete the transfer, sources suggest that the Whites are also trying to make progress by signing Nice winger Jeremie Boga as number six.

Leeds chase Boga, while Newcastle’s sale of Longstaff is hailed as PSR wizardry.
The Whites are looking to strengthen their wing options this summer, as loanee Manor Solomon returned to Tottenham Hotspur following a fantastic spell at Elland Road.

While a return to Elland Road cannot be ruled out, the player’s desire to grab the attention of new manager Thomas Frank, along with Spurs’ expected high demands for a sale, suggests that a return to Elland Road is a long way off at this point in the window. And, while Leeds will not completely slam the door just yet, the fact that they still have numerous places to bolster before the window closes, including a new goalkeeper and a striker, suggests that a lower-cost option to come in on the flank may be more enticing.

As a result, the Whites are believed to have made an offer to lure Boga to Elland Road.

The 28-year-old has been with Nice since 2023, but his playing time has been reduced in recent weeks, thanks primarily to a series of ailments.

The former Chelsea player, who has 25 caps for the Ivory Coast, is arguably best known for his time in Italy with Sassuolo and Atalanta.

And it was with Sassuolo that he had his best season in football, scoring 11 goals and providing two assists for the then-Serie A club in the 2019/22 season.

According to Africa Foot, Leeds has made a €15 million (£12.9 million, $17.5 million) bid for his services, albeit we were unable to obtain confirmation from our sources on the possible link when questioned earlier on Wednesday.

Longstaff’s potential move to Elland Road has been seen as a true PSR boost for Newcastle, with a financial expert detailing how his sale can cover their full £55 million buy for Anthony Elanga, given the way amortisation works.

Professor Rob Wilson told The Independent: “If the Longstaff deal goes through, it will be fantastic for Newcastle in their current situation.

“As an academy product, Longstaff would be considered ‘pure profit’ under profitability and sustainability requirements, which adds another £10 million to their PSR calculations.

“Given how amortisation works, that allows you to buy a £50 million player on a five-year contract.

“In layman’s terms, they paid Anthony Elanga’s first year’s amortization charge in the blink of an eye.

“Selling Longstaff, even at that amount, would leave their PSR ‘headroom’ unchanged, allowing them to continue investing on the team. “If they had £150 million to spend before these two deals, they would still have it.”

Leeds transfer roundup: Joe Willock desired.

Our reporter Witcoop also revealed on Monday that Leeds are also interested in signing Joe Willock, having inquired about his availability during conversations over Longstaff.

However, it has been revealed that, while Newcastle are open to selling him, they are second favourites to sign him, with the attacker preferring to join a Premier League opponent.

In terms of a new striker, Tottenham Hotspur have received an immediate reaction after apparently making an approach for top Leeds target Rodrigo Muniz, and Fulham’s insistence on a high asking price appears to have scared off both sides.

On the outgoing front, it appears that a decision will be made soon on Jack Harrison’s future after his two-year loan at Everton expires. The winger, who is scheduled to return to Thorp Arch on Monday, is set to complete a permanent move away for a low fee.

Boga, a former Chelsea prospect, rose to prominence after joining Sassuolo for £3.5 million in 2018.

The winger made a name for himself in Serie A, where he excelled at dribbling and scored 18 goals in 103 appearances.

Boga moved on to Atalanta, but he struggled to adjust and finished with only four goals in 47 games.

He has been playing in Ligue 1 for Nice since 2023. He had his greatest goal-scoring season since 2019-20, when he scored 11 for Sassuolo. During his six-goal campaign, he won the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast.

However, goals dried up for an injured Boga in 2024-25.

Despite being 28 years old, he has his trademark quickness and dribbling abilities. Last season, he was ranked 94th among Ligue 1 attacking midfielders and wingers in terms of progressive carries per 90 minutes (5.46), and 89th in terms of successful take-ons (2.23).

Boga was an excellent originator of shooting opportunities, and his shot accuracy was a promising 68%.

Nice’s official website description for Boga hails the former Birmingham City loanee for his “speed, alertness, and technical quality.”