Adrian Durham suggested that Newcastle United could see five current first-team players leave St James’ Park in the summer.
The broadcaster claimed that he understood that Magpies midfielder Matt Ritchie had been told he could leave while Ayoze Perez might want to go back to Spain, Jonjo Shelvey may go to West Ham, Mohammed Diame was set to be out of contract and Salomon Rondon was only on loan from West Bromwich Albion.
Durham stated that based on this it seemed to be tough times ahead for the Magpies.
“My understanding is that he has been told he can leave Newcastle and for me he’s been one of their better players certainly in the second half,” said Durham on talkSPORT (17:53, Wednesday April 17th).
“He was arguably their player of the season when they won the title in the Championship and I think he has been pretty good for them in the two seasons he’s been with them in the Premier League, I think he almost left them in the summer to either go to Bournemouth or Southampton but it didn’t happen and he stayed at Newcastle.
“I think he has been really good so would be a big miss and they’ve also got Perez who might want to go back to Spain, Shelvey might be going to West Ham and Diame is out of contract, and Rondon is only on loan, so tough times for Newcastle.”
OPINION
It would be no surprise to see the Magpies quintet Durham refers to leave in the summer. The broadcaster mentions five players who have been linked to exits in recent months and none of them are hardly surprising. Rondon’s exit is expected as he is only on loan and it’s unclear whether Mike Ashley will stump up the cash for him and Diame’s future looks bleak as the Magpies hardly seem fussed that his current deal goes in the summer. Perez has always been linked to a move back to Spain, and while it hasn’t occurred yet, would anyone be shocked if he ended up playing in La Liga anytime soon? As for Shelvey, he will no doubt continue to be linked to securing a move away from the club as long as Rafa Benitez continues not to use him; and the link to West Ham is one that seems believable. Finally there’s Ritchie, who some may be surprised is linked with an exit, but his future seemed unclear last summer so it’s hardly come out of nowhere. While Durham’s understanding does appear to come from The Sun’s report on the midfielder, the 29-year-old potentially leaving seems to be a story that keeps getting revived.