Howe may cut well-known star from NUFC plans

Football journalist Craig Hope has stated that Newcastle United man Matt Ritchie could be on his way out of the club soon.

Due to their recent wealth, the Magpies are currently undergoing a period of great change. Indeed, this was represented when a number of first-team players – such as Isaac Hayden, Jamal Lewis and Ciaran Clark – were left out of the club’s 25-man squad for the second half of the season, in favour of new signings like Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier.

Come the end of this campaign, it’s likely the club will go out and make even more transfers which could make for an uncertain future regarding some players.

Indeed, while talking about this on the True Faith NUFC Podcast, Hope explained that days at the club ‘might be numbered’ for Ritchie.

He said (28:58): “There’s then the others, Isaac Hayden, Jamal Lewis, who you probably think that the days at the club might be numbered – Paul Dummett, Matt Ritchie.

“Now I know Matt Ritchie is an absolute disciple of Eddie Howe, he will see him as his integral sort of to, not necessarily what he’s done on the pitch so far, but off the pitch.

“Matt Ritchie will be a standard-bearer in training, you know, when he is fit and around the place. Because he absolutely 100 per cent buys into everything that Howe does. So there are some big decisions to make.”

TIF thoughts on Matt Ritchie and Newcastle…

This news may come as a surprise to some due to the two’s strong relationship which is alluded to by Hope. The pair worked together at Bournemouth and Richie was part of the side that won promotion to the Premier League after being signed by Howe from Swindon back in 2013.

Unfortunately, for the left-back though, he has been unable to play much of a part in the current campaign due to fitness struggles, and he has been left on the bench for the last three league games.