Ritchie’s Toon career is drawing to a close
Matt Ritchie’s eight-year stay at Newcastle is drawing to a close.
But before Pompey fans start dreaming of a Fratton Park return, The News understands an emotional PO4 reunion for the Blues academy product is not on the cards.
Ritchie’s anticipated St James’ Park departure, after more than 200 appearances, moved a step closer last Friday when boss Eddie Howe opted not to use the 34-year-old in Newcastle’s 8-0 defeat to an A-league All-stars XI during the club’s post-season tour to Australia.
Ritchie and Paul Dummett were not called upon for either game as Howe admitted he didn’t want to risk them as they approached the end of their current contracts.
‘They are out of contract. So for obvious reasons, it would have been a big risk with no contract offer for them at the moment,’ Howe said.
An offer to extend Ritchie’s stay into a ninth season remained a possibility as Newcastle headed home. With a place in next season’s Europa Conference League remaining on the cards thanks to their seventh-placed finish in the top flight, it was believed that both he and Dummett would remain to help the club cope with the additional fixtures a European campaign would bring.
Yet, the Toon’s hopes of a second successive season of European football were dashed by Manchester United’s victory over neighbours City in the FA Cup final, with the former stealing possession of English football’s last remaining spot.
The Gosport-born Ritchie previously admitted to The News that he would love to end his career back at Fratton Park, having made 10 appearances for the Blues as a teenager. But the leftsided attacker doesn’t fit in with the recruitment model Pompey are now operating with.