Noel Whelan says Newcastle United's decision to let Matty Longstaff leave on loan this summer is a "kick in the teeth" for the academy graduate.
The 21-year-old is set to sign a one-year contract extension before heading out on loan with a number of clubs interested in his signature.
Blackpool (where his brother Sean spent time on loan) and Nottingham Forest are among the sides interested in a temporary move for the midfielder.
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Longstaff burst onto the scene scoring on his debut against Manchester United but has found game time hard to come by.
The contract of the England youth international is set to expire this summer and Newcastle don't want to lose him for a nominal fee.
Nonetheless, former Leeds striker Whelan believes the Magpies are making a huge mistake in letting Longstaff leave this summer.
He told Football Insider : "You can’t do it, don’t allow players to leave when you have a squad the size of Newcastle’s.
“They’ve not really been active in this window, it’s a really difficult situation that Steve Bruce is in.
“You’ve got to look if Newcastle have got players coming through the ranks who can replace him, or whether they are willing to go into the market to replace him.
“They’ve not started the season well, so to lose a home-grown player is a bit of a kick in the teeth.
“But he’s another young player who needs to be playing regularly to get the best out of him, and maybe Matty has realised that.”
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