---
title: "Newcastle United: Manager claims Matt Ritchie will finish his career at Portsmouth"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/portsmouth-transfer-news-ritchie-premier-league/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Adam Clancy"
section: "Newcastle United News"
published: "2022-11-18T21:35:48Z"
modified: "2022-11-18T21:35:48Z"
---

# Newcastle United: Manager claims Matt Ritchie will finish his career at Portsmouth

**Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley has claimed that [Newcastle United](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-news/) ace Matt Ritchie will finish his career at the League One club.**

### The Lowdown: Exit-bound?

It was [reported](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-news/newcastle-united-eddie-howe-gives-green-light-for-matt-ritchie-to-leave/) last week that Eddie Howe has personally given the green light for the Scotland international to leave St James’ Park in the January transfer window, and that the [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) club will listen to offers for him.

The 33-year-old will be available to leave for a cut-price figure, given that his contract on Tyneside expires [in the summer](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/matt-ritchie/profil/spieler/92469).

### The Latest: Portsmouth move?

As quoted by Portsmouth-based media outlet [The News](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/portsmouth-fc/portsmouth-boss-transfer-revelation-over-newcastle-united-winger-amid-intensifying-homecoming-speculation-for-ex-swindon-town-and-bournemouth-man-3922872), Pompey manager Cowley has claimed that he thinks Ritchie will end his career with the Fratton Park club, with talks reportedly underway over a ‘homecoming’ for the Gosport native.

Cowley said: *“I’d like him, is that possible?* *Well, we’d love to have Matt Ritchie.* *I’m not sure we’d be able to cover his wages coming to Portsmouth, though!*

*“That said, he loves the club and he’s been to a couple of games with his boys.* *We’d like him – I think our xG would go up then and there will be no moaning about set-pieces!*

*“I do think he will finish his career at Portsmouth, though.”*

[Newcastle news!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/)

### The Verdict: Time is up

A move to League One club Portsmouth may not be realistic at this moment in time, given Ritchie’s [£45,000-per-week](https://fbref.com/en/squads/b2b47a98/2022-2023/wages/Newcastle-United-Wage-Details) salary, but that should not stop Newcastle from trying to get him off the wage bill.

Hailed as “[incredible](https://www.newcastleworld.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/eddie-howe-confirms-matt-ritchie-looks-set-for-newcastle-united-exit-with-premier-league-side-keen-3777028)” by Howe after there were whispers that the 33-year-old could leave in the summer, the Scotsman has been a faithful servant for the Magpies.

He has played 190 games for the club, including 42 in the Championship in the 2016/17 campaign, in which he scored 12 goals and supplied a further eight assists on the way to helping them win promotion back to the Premier League ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/matt-ritchie/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/92469/plus/0?saison=&verein=762&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=)).

\[freshpress-quiz id=”415486″\]

However, Ritchie has only played one minute of top-flight football so far this term and made just two appearances in total ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/matt-ritchie/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/92469/plus/0?saison=2022&verein=762&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=)), suggesting that he has fallen down the pecking order under Howe.

Therefore, Newcastle must consider selling him in January, or perhaps to Portsmouth later on in his career.