TORONTO – At the age of 23, Matty Longstaff has already made some notable contributions to his football career.
Matty Longstaff, a newly signed Toronto FC midfielder, holds up his shirt following training in Toronto on Friday, March 1, 2024. Longstaff, only 23, comes to Toronto FC with some notable goals already on his record. The Canadian Press/Neil Davidson
RJB – Toronto Matty Longstaff, 23, joins Toronto FC with some impressive football credentials.
While injuries have hampered the former Newcastle midfielder’s career, Toronto coach John Herdman believes Longstaff has more spectacular moments ahead ofhim.
Longstaff joined Newcastle when he was 10, working his way up through the ranks to join older brother Sean in the first team.
Sent on loan to Scotland’s Aberdeen and League Two sides Mansfield Town and Colchester United in England, Matty made just 20 first-team appearances for Newcastle with three goals.
But each of the scores was special.
Longstaff turned heads in October 2019 in a 1-0 win over Manchester United, becoming — at 19 years 199 days — the youngest player to score in his Premier League debut for Newcastle
His rocket-like right-footed strike from outside the penalty box was voted Premier League goal of the month, marking the first time a player won the award with a goal on their debut since August 2016.
Longstaff did it again against the Red Devils in December 2019, taking a pass from Brazil’s Joelinton in the penalty box and scoring on a low shot to the corner at Old Trafford in a 4-1 loss.
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