NEWCASTLE UNITED have resisted offers to take young midfielder Sean Longstaff away from St James’ Park this month, Rafa Benitez has confirmed.

Longstaff has started the last few games for the Magpies, including the defeat at Chelsea, and he scored in the 4-2 win at Blackburn in the FA Cup in midweek.

Even though Mo Diame, who has not played since January 2 because of injury, is set to return to action, Benitez is not rushing into letting his locally produced midfielder to leave – although that could change later this month.

Benitez said: “You see the prices in the market now, academy players have an advantage. They have the feeling of the fans and the people in the city because they have been in the club for a while.

"That is something really important because they care. And after, they are normally cheaper. If they do so well that they can be stars, that is when you have problems with their agents. But at the moment they are fine. They want to play and want to play for their team.

“He has potential. He went on loan and came back and did well. We have had lots of teams asking about him this transfer window but I told them wait a little bit because we are so pleased with him and he has a chance. He is a good player, a good professional and is keen to learn. He will be better because he is working really hard and he listens to you."

Longstaff and Callum Roberts both impressed at Blackburn. Benitez said: “Longstaff has been training for a while, and we knew his potential. We had confidence he would do well.

“Roberts did well for the Under-23s and it is good news for us and them that they did well. With the prices in the market now, academy players are so important.”

Benitez has not reported any transfer progress despite suggestions that they have made a move for Roma striker Gregoire Defrel having become frustrated in their attempts to land Miguel Almiron.

The Newcastle manager just wants to stay focused on picking up points knowing his team face a huge game against Cardiff City, the side sitting above them in the top-flight, at St James’ Park on Saturday.

He said: “My analysis is very simple. We must play at home against Burnley, Palace and Huddersfield after this who maybe we can beat at home, too. This is a big game and we want to win - it is not rocket science. But we have to keep going even if we win, or if we don’t.

“Cardiff will have a gameplan to try to stop us playing. We need fans to stay behind the team even if we are not doing well, pushing us and staying with us if we want to stay up. If we are doing well, we can enjoy it like the other night.”