Sean Longstaff's NUFC fate seems sealed based on answer given by Eddie Howe at Friday's press conference

Eddie Howe has always spoken very highly of Sean Longstaff and the Newcastle United academy product was a regular in Howe's side for the longest time.

As this season has progressed, however, Longstaff's minutes have massively decreased with the midfielder barely even making it off the bench for anything more than a brief cameo lately.

Indeed, were Newcastle not on course for another Carabao Cup final in January, we suspect the 27-year-old would have been sold by the club in the winter.

Instead, Longstaff received a stay of execution in the hope of getting to be part of the first Newcastle side to lift a trophy in over 50 years. A dream which did come true for the lifelong Newcastle fan.

Newcastle offered Sean Longstaff a new contract to ensure they receive money for letting him leave

Newcastle made no secret of the fact that Longstaff was offered a new contract last year, not in a bid to keep him at the club but to ensure they would receive some form of transfer fee when he is sold.

As an academy graduate, any money we receive for Longstaff will be deemed pure profit in terms of PSR and could open up a lot more room to spend than what we actually bring in for his services.

Taking all of that into account, it definitely looks as though Longstaff will be heading to pastures new this summer as the club is set to undergo a transformation.

Eddie Howe practically admitted that Sean Longstaff will be moving on this summer

Even Eddie Howe seems to have come to terms with this fact after admitting that his future is uncertain when asked about him in Friday morning's press conference.

"His role is to be ready. Be ready to play. Be ready to come on. I've trusted him in big games where he has come on and played his part.

"We're going to need the whole squad to help us in our league season, we've got nine massive games to come. Everybody needs to be ready to play.

"His long-term future is slightly more unclear, but all I can say is behind the scenes, Sean has been very, very good. He's been helping the group; he's been training to a really high level. I can't speak highly enough of him as a person."

That's about as direct of an indication we could probably get from Eddie Howe that Longstaff's time at Newcastle is coming to an end.