Newcastle United must be praised for how business has been conducted since the inception of the new era at the club, under the ownership of an affluent Saudi-led consortium and out of the 14-year sable shadow of Mike Ashley.

In October 2021, the Magpies were battling to stave off the threat of relegation, a danger that seemed unconquerable after one Premier League victory from the first 20 fixtures of the 2021/22 campaign, but the £300m takeover preceded a remarkable change in fortunes that has left the club perched inside the top four less than two years later.

With just five games left to play in the current league term, United are comfortably on track for Champions League football next year and only require seven points from a possible 15 to secure a return to Europe's premier continental competition.

It has been a Herculean effort and manager Eddie Howe deserves so much credit for his transformative impact in entering a withered outfit and pushing for the very top in short time, having also reached the Carabao Cup finale this season.

With the ascension set to continue across the coming years, the Magpies will need to be ruthless, and as such must be open to selling Sean Longstaff following recent revelations over the midfielder's price tag.

Should Newcastle sell Sean Longstaff?

Longstaff has been hailed as his outfit's "unsung hero" this term by Paul Merson, having played 40 matches across all competitions and impressed from his assiduous central role, completing 82.7% of his passes and making 1.6 tackles per match, as per WhoScored.

But Howe will indeed need to pull no punches if he is to preserve the newfound status at the forefront of English football, with Longstaff perhaps joining the likes of Jamal Lewis in transferring away from St. James's Park sooner rather than later.

Lewis signed for the Toon for £15m from Norwich City in 2020 with a weight of expectation, but has failed to cement a starting berth to coincide with the club's revival and may well be heading for the exit in a matter of months, with Dan Burn establishing himself as the undisputed No. 1 down the defensive left flank, starting 31 Premier League fixtures thus far this term.

Longstaff's situation differs to that of the former Canary; Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, recently stated that the £50k-per-week ace should attract a fee of around £50m, which certainly seems to be an inflated sum given the calibre of player that such a figure often brings in European football.

Last year, Newcastle signed Bruno Guimaraes for £40m, the Brazilian has been instrumental to the club's success and hailed as "world-class" by teammate Dan Burn for his impact on Tyneside.

Likewise, in the summer Manchester City signed Kalvin Phillips for £45m and Manchester United pulled off the signing of five-time Champions League winner Casemiro, renowned as one of the greatest holding midfielders of his time, for a hefty £70m.

At no disrespect to Longstaff's skill set, he is simply not on the same level as such names; industrious and diligent, he has been a steady presence and a reliable figure under Howe's tutelage, but hardly indispensable.

But if a lucrative fee can be found, a sale would perhaps be an auspicious move for Howe and co, who could use a deal to sign the likes of James Maddison or James Ward-Prowse, both of interest to Magpies technical director Dan Ashworth and touted at fees of £60m and £40m respectively.

While Howe will be cautious to sell a homegrown talent and a dependable midfield engine, should he indeed attract such a lofty sum then it would appear a no-brainer to strike a deal.

Especially considering some of the rumoured transfer targets who could fill his boots ahead of the new campaign…