The Newcastle fans in the Transfer Tavern have been calling for Mike Ashley and Rafa Benitez to rethink whether or not they’ll be selling Matt Ritchie this summer. The fans all love the Scottish international and will be devasted if he does leave the club, as has been much talked about, with journalist Keith Downie providing the latest update on the player’s future on Twitter.
Newcastle & Stoke remain apart on their valuation of Matt Ritchie. Stoke offering £11.5m, NUFC want £15m+.
We’re told Crystal Palace want £17m for Andros Townsend, who would replace Ritchie on Tyneside.— Keith Downie (@SkySports_Keith) July 6, 2018
To succeed as a Newcastle player, you don’t have to be the most talented player in the world as long you put in the hard graft and work for the fans then you’ll be well loved. That is something that Matt Ritchie understands and has taken advantage of as his endless work rate has made him one of the most well-loved players in the current crop of Newcastle players.
Football is a cut-throat business though and the industrious winger could find himself being offloaded back to the Championship after just one season back in the Premier League after spending the 2016/17 with the Magpies in the second-tier. Most fans are gutted that Ritchie could be going and even though Andros Townsend could be brought in as a replacement, it’s not enough for the Geordies who have loved what Ritchie’s brought to the club.
You can read our resident Magpies’ verdict on Ritchie here:
Keep Ritchie he gives 110% every game Townsend does it when he feels like it
— Mal clemo (@malclemo2412) July 6, 2018
Why do we have to sell to buy? Why are we the only poor club in the league?
— Dell (@agbnufc) 6 July 2018
This will drag on and on. Won’t happen.
— Liam (@ldabbs89) July 6, 2018
https://twitter.com/carl9058/status/1015226688022642688
https://twitter.com/BohnJoyes/status/1015222314739388416
Seriously, does Rafa want to sell, does Ritchie want to leave ? Makes no sense at all
— Colin2401 (@Baberton33) July 6, 2018
As you can see, most fans are keen on keeping Ritchie although if the Scottish international does leave they won’t be against bringing in Townsend as a replacement.
