---
title: "Newcastle United: Report reveals why Matt Ritchie didn’t leave in January"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-report-reveals-why-ritchie-didnt-make-january-exit-nufc-newsnow/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "kaus pandey"
section: "Newcastle United"
published: "2021-03-08T12:40:41Z"
modified: "2021-03-08T12:40:41Z"
---

# Newcastle United: Report reveals why Matt Ritchie didn’t leave in January

**Newcastle United reportedly blocked a January exit for Matt Ritchie.**

The 31-year-old [was linked](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/13831573/newcastle-billing-transfer-ritchie-bournemouth/) with a return to Bournemouth in January and there was talk of a potential swap deal involving him and Cherries midfielder Philip Billing. However, [The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/2432533/2021/03/08/ornstein-lamptey-out-for-season-mbappe-not-for-city-ritchie-cleared-locker-huddle-rebels/) have now revealed why Ritchie’s move back to the south coast didn’t go through.

\[freshpress-poll id=”348374″\]

### Ritchie had his bags packed for Newcastle exit

[The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/2432533/2021/03/08/ornstein-lamptey-out-for-season-mbappe-not-for-city-ritchie-cleared-locker-huddle-rebels/) talked about Ritchie’s situation at St James’ Park, saying that the Scotsman was keen on joining Bournemouth and he had even emptied his locker ahead of a move. While he was convinced about a move to the Vitality Stadium, Newcastle ended up blocking the deal as they couldn’t find a potential replacement for the left-sided ace.

[The report added](https://theathletic.com/2432533/2021/03/08/ornstein-lamptey-out-for-season-mbappe-not-for-city-ritchie-cleared-locker-huddle-rebels/) that Newcastle wanted Ritchie to leave permanently or else loan him out with Bournemouth having the obligation to buy him permanently. However, the Cherries wanted him on a loan deal which would only become a permanent move upon promotion back to the top flight.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”348103″\]

### Newcastle stay hasn’t helped for Ritchie

Steve Bruce [recently confirmed](https://talksport.com/football/844230/newcastle-steve-bruce-training-ground-leak-treason-matt-ritchie-bust-up/) that he did have a bust-up with Ritchie recently and it has been stated that the player called his manager a ‘coward’ in the altercation. Bruce went on to criticise how the news about the bust-up got leaked in the media.

The 31-year-old has played only three times in the second half of the season and his last start for the Magpies came in early January. His last appearance was an 18-minute cameo against Wolves at the end of last month ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/matt-ritchie/leistungsdaten/spieler/92469)).

This suggests that staying at St James’ Park hasn’t helped Ritchie at all and it is easy to see why he wanted an exit in January.

**In other news, Lee Ryder believes that Newcastle aren’t seeing the best of one Magpies star – [read more here.](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-news/newcastle-united-lee-ryder-claims-magpies-arent-seeing-best-of-ryan-fraser/)**