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A former Premier League midfielder, who has been sidelined for well over a year because of a knee injury has signed for Major League Soccer club Toronto FC.
Matty Longstaff will join one of the three Canadian MLS teams this season on a two-year contract.
Longstaff made his first-team debut with Newcastle in 2019, and had gone out on loan three times away from the Magpies.
Longstaff was playing for League Two side Colchester United when he suffered a torn ACL on Boxing Day, and he has not played since.
Longstaff joins Lionel Messi, Hugo Lloris, Jordi Alba, Zack Steffen, and a few others to recently make the jump from the European leagues to the MLS.
Toronto FC will be bolstered by the signing of Longstaff with most of the MLS season to come
Sean Longstaff, Matty’s older brother, has been a mainstay for Newcastle for several years.
While recovering from his torn ACL, the younger Longstaff was released by the Magpies last summer.
Longstaff made 20 appearances across all competitions for Newcastle, including scoring the game-winning goal against Manchester United on his debut in October 2019.
Toronto FC finished in last place of MLS a year ago and hired former Canadian men’s national team head coach John Herdman to take the helm last October.
Toronto FC drew its season-opening game last weekend against Cincinnati FC.
Longstaff’s availability for Sunday’s game against the New England Revolution is unclear.