Rangers FC are currently sitting on top of the Premiership table and this is mainly due to the good work that Steven Gerrard has done ever since he was appointed as the new boss.
The manager has brought in a number of Premier League talents during the past two transfer windows and now Rafa Benitez has revealed that Gerrard wanted to sign Newcastle United lad Sean Longstaff before the start of the season.
Benitez did not sign a new deal with Newcastle last summer but now the former Liverpool boss has revealed that it was his decision to keep Sean Longstaff at the club – a call which has certainly worked positively for the Magpies.
Benitez told The Athletic(as reported): “In terms of the team he has picked to develop himself, I can’t say too much except that Rangers are a top side in Scotland and I’m sure it will be a great experience for him.
“We have kept in touch. Both of our lives are very busy and it isn’t about giving advice but we have had contact to talk football and to talk about players.
“In fact, in the summer of last year, Stevie called me about Sean Longstaff.
“Rangers were interested and he asked whether they could sign him on loan, but I told him ‘no’ — he’d be staying at Newcastle United.
“Some people have said, ‘Oh, Rafa was lucky because of Longstaff’ but we’d been watching him and we were happy with him, we played him in the first-team, supported him and gave him confidence.
“Turning Rangers down is proof of what we thought of Sean.”
Sean Longstaff has really been in fine form for Newcastle this season and Rangers’ move for him just goes on to show that Steven Gerrard has the right talent spotting capabilities.
The Rangers boss might have failed to bring in Longstaff but he has made some fine signings in the form of Ryan Kent, Jermaine Defoe and Sheyi Ojo over the past one and a half years.
