Steve Bruce: 'Newcastle rejected colossal Manchester United offer for Sean Longstaff'

The 62-year-old ex-Red Devils defender spent just over two years in charge of Newcastle between July 2019 and October 2021, and mutually left the club shortly after the Saudi-backed takeover of the club was completed.

Bruce inherited Longstaff six months after predecessor Rafael Benitez had given the highly-rated academy graduate his senior debut, and it took just a handful of appearances before speculation emerged over a possible move to Man United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was allegedly keen to lure Longstaff to Old Trafford in the summer of 2019 as one his first signings as permanent manager of the Red Devils, but Newcastle managed to fend off interest whilst Bruce was at the helm.

"I inherited Sean at a time where a big-money move to Manchester United was on the cards," Bruce told The Mirror. "Newcastle were turning down a colossal amount of money, and that was swirling around at the time."

Bruce has also claimed that Longstaff was "insistent" on joining Man United and believes the midfielder has matured in recent years since his time in charge of the Magpies.

"Sean was recovering from an awful injury at the time (2019). He's entitled to his opinion, and he's shown maturity over the last couple of years," said Bruce.

"We had him almost five years ago. He was a lot younger then, a lot of things were swirling around, and that was combined with a long-term injury.

"He's proven to be a very good player. Sean's move to Man United was never close. He was insistent that it was at one point, but I knew Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and [his assistant] Mike Phelan - it was never on the cards."

Following Man United's failed attempts to sign Longstaff in 2019, Solskjaer's side instead recruited Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon, while they also splashed the cash on Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the same summer.

Earlier this year, Longstaff admitted that he did not enjoy working under Bruce, telling The Athletic: "I didn't feel like I was getting massively coached into becoming the best version of me. It was perfect when I broke through (under Rafa Benitez). I came in and did well and everyone loves you.

"When Steve Bruce came in as manager, I'd come back from injury and didn't really feel like I was ready but sort of felt like I had to play. When you're in that mindset and in that position, you're never going to be able to play well."

Addressing those comments, Bruce said: "I've been nothing but impressed with how he's got on, and you have to accept that criticism of a part of management.

"Not everybody is going to like you, and I never expected him to. It's never given as a manager. There were times where Sean needed to mature, and he has done."

Longstaff has made a total of 153 appearances for Newcastle in all competitions, recording 11 goals and 10 assists, and he has developed into an important first-team player under current Magpies boss Eddie Howe.

The 26-year-old played 41 times as Newcastle finished fourth in the Premier League last season and qualified for the Champions League, as well as reach the EFL Cup final, and the midfielder has since featured 17 times this term, scoring three goals including his first-ever Champions League strike in a famous 4-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain.