I watched unsung hero and Leeds United midfield target who could take Elland Road by surprise

The Whites are currently in the process of building a squad fit for purpose in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season.

Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton's immediate return to the second tier after just one campaign in the top flight, and the manner in which they were relegated, will no doubt have sharpened Leeds' focus on avoiding a similar fate.

The club are in talks to sign Udinese's domineering central defender Jaka Bijol and have lodged a £22 million bid for Racing Strasbourg's Senegalese international Habib Diarra - the latter scored in the African nation's surprise 3-1 win over England on Tuesday night.

In addition to the aforementioned pair, Newcastle midfielder Longstaff has been mooted as a potential arrival after falling down the pecking order at St James' Park. Currently, Eddie Howe's first choice midfield trio consists of Brazilian international pairing Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, as well as Italy's Sandro Tonali.

Longstaff made 25 Premier League appearances last season for the black-and-whites, although the majority of these were from the bench, particularly during the second half of the campaign.

The boyhood Newcastle supporter has over 200 outings to his name and at 27 years-old, boasts vast Premier League experience, too.

While not currently a key player at the club, the box-to-box midfielder is renowned for his engine and work-rate on Tyneside, attributes which are highly-regarded by coaches.

With one year left on his deal, Longstaff - who is not believed to be a top earner at the club - is not expected to cost too great a transfer fee and as an academy product would represent a 'pure profit' sale on Newcastle's accounts, which would aid the Magpies' Profitability and Sustainability position, an issue that has caused the club balance sheet problems in recent seasons.

Linked with a move for Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey this week and with box-to-box midfielder Joe Willock seemingly ahead of Longstaff in Howe's thinking, too, Newcastle are likely to be open to parting company with the 27-year-old after many years of service.

The midfielder's time at Newcastle has seen him play for a number of different managers with varying styles, including Howe, Steve Bruce and Rafael Benitez. Longstaff's versatility, and the fact he regularly completes the greatest distances over 90 minutes, could also be another selling point.

Leeds are likely to prioritise physicality and intensity in this summer's transfer window, something which has already been apparent in the pursuit of Diarra and Bijol. Longstaff's longevity at the top level ensures he ticks that box, even if to supporters he would not represent the most exciting summer addition.

In many ways, Longstaff has the capacity to be an unsung hero in a new side where he will have a point to prove and competition for places. His hard-working approach has gone under-appreciated by fans throughout his Newcastle career, however, it has consistently been valued by the coaches he has worked with.

Appraisals

Towards the end of last season, Howe said of the midfielder: "His [Longstaff's] long-term future is slightly unclear, but he's been training very well and I can't speak highly enough of him as a person."

Former boss Benitez also sung Longstaff's praises: “Sean’s humble, professional and focused - He’s a player who can be consistent."

“Sean wouldn’t look out of place with England, there are not too many young English players with his quality,” the Spaniard said back in 2019."

Working under renowned defensive coach Benitez is also likely to benefit the reported Leeds target, as the Whites are expected to enjoy less of the ball than they have seen over the past two seasons. Longstaff's discipline and concentration could come in handy as a result.

“Rafa was great for me: a person who’d speak about football all of the time. Whether you were walking down corridors at the training ground, having lunch or walking off the pitch, he was always trying to coach you," he told FourFourTwo in an interview last year.

"You think you know what football is, then you speak to him and there’s just so much more to it.

"His defensive block – if you were half a centimetre out, he’d stop the training session and say, 'You need to do this.'"

Longstaff has been able to play - and score - in the UEFA Champions League following Howe's arrival and has been impressed with the manager's meticulousness.

"Working under Rafa, you think you know a fair bit about the game – then Eddie Howe comes in and his attention to detail is out of this world. We’re more high-pressing and aggressive.

“People won’t realise it, but we’ve got numerous patterns of play – we have seven different types of crosses! If I was an aspiring coach now, I’d be trying to copy Eddie every day."

'Professionalism and willingness to learn'

One of the key aspects Farke seeks from a player when signing for Leeds is whether they have the requisite character to gel with and enhance the existing group. Longstaff's professionalism, diligence and willingness to absorb information, therefore, is likely to go a long way with the German manager.