Manchester United have been "left stunned" by Newcastle United's £50million asking price for midfielder Sean Longstaff.
According to reports in the North West , high-level officials from Old Trafford contacted Magpies managing director Lee Charnley last weekend to enquire about the midfielder's availability.
It is understood that Newcastle do not want to sell their Academy graduate this summer, and there are claims that the Magpies value Longstaff at £50m - and have based that figure on the price Man United paid to sign right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace.
Man United, however, are only willing to pay between £18m and £25m for the 21-year-old - given that Longstaff has only made nine Premier League appearances - and there are suggestions that the Red Devils could soon move on to alternative targets if Newcastle do not soften their stance.
Newcastle have confirmed that Longstaff will travel with the first-team squad to China on Saturday for the Premier League Asia Trophy, and he is in line to play in the Magpies' opening pre-season friendly against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Nanjing on Wednesday.
And that comes after a dramatic change in tone from reports emanating from the North West, where journalists had been briefed over the past few weeks that Man United were confident a deal in the region of £25m could be struck for Longstaff.
Yet the latest claims - which appear to have arrived via another briefing, given that reports in both the national and local media are almost identical in detail - highlight that Man United's confidence that they will be able to sign Longstaff is dwindling.
No official bid has been made to Newcastle and that is because the the Magpies' valuation of Longstaff is more than double Man United's.
that Man United would not be held to ransom and made to pay a premium for their targets this summer, something which appears to have been at least in part aimed at Newcastle.
“We’re still in the market looking to do some business, as I’ve said before," Solskjaer said of the Red Devils' transfer plans during a press conference out in Australasia.
"But we’re patient, we’re Man United, we don’t have to sell and don’t have to over-pay either. You have to have the right players at the right price.
“And if you look at the squad we’ve got now, there are so many good players anyway, I’m sure with a good pre-season behind us - that’s the main thing now - the ones who are here are working hard want to improve.”
After a damaging summer in which Newcastle have lost their former manager Rafa Benitez and have failed to sign a player - as well as the fact a takeover has not materialised - finally the noises surrounding Longstaff's future provide a little positivity for Newcastle.
The Magpies are still hopeful that Longstaff's fellow Geordie Steve Bruce will take charge of the team in China next week, with Newcastle continuing to negotiate with Sheffield Wednesday over a compensation package for the former Man United captain.
