Bournemouth fans, if you haven’t heard, cover your ears cause this one will hurt. Matt Ritchie has joined recently relegated Newcastle. Yes, a player who painstaking climbed through the ranks of the English Football League with your beloved Cherries, has decided after only one short season in the top flight, to drop down a level to play for Raffa Benitez and Newcastle.

Cherries’ in the Football Transfer Tavern are hurting, Without doubt their best player last season, the 26-year-old has upped and left.

The former Swindon winger scored 31 goals in 129 appearances for the South Coast club, including four in the Premier League last season, he has been a key element of the squad in their rise to the top flight.

Players like Ritchie don’t tend to come along very often for a club like Bournemouth but fear not all you loyal Cherries, for these five players might, just might, be eligible replacements for the super Scot. So, get another pint or two, a packet of crisps and check out Matt Ritchie’s possible replacements.

Jordan Obita

Yes, this choice may be partially down to the fact that I once signed Jordan Obita on Football Manager 15 and he played a key role in winning the premier league title with Bournemouth and ended up captaining England.

However, Reading’s player of the season in the 2013/14 campaign is also a very young, very capable player. The left back/winger you could say, is a cheaper, not as good Gareth Bale. He has pace, a good left foot and the ability to attack and defend whenever it may be needed.

Without a doubt the cheapest player on this list and with Bournemouth still only being fresh to the Premier League, it may not be time for them to splash the big cash just yet meaning Jordan Obita could be the perfect answer to Ritchie’s departure.

Joshua King

Joshua King’s debut season at Dean Court saw him thrust into the team as the first choice striker following Callum Wilson’s season ending injury, however, many people forget that he can also play on the wing.

The former Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers man didn’t always look at home in the central striker position with only glimpses of quality shining through on a tough first season.

However, with Callum Wilson back from injury, and recently off the back of signing a new contract with the Cherries, the striker position is filled meaning if he wants to get into the first team, King may have to return to his favoured wing role, and use his pace, power and skill effectively out wide.

Jesus Navas

This move wouldn’t be as unlikely as a lot of people would think. Whilst Navas featured heavily in Manchester City’s first team last season, I can’t help but think that a player of the little Spaniard’s quality wouldn’t make it into a Pep Guardiola starting XI.

He’s a good winger, fast, skillful and a real handful for defenders, but he’s not good enough for City. He is, however, a very suitable replacement for Matt Ritchie. Although he’s not as good as he used to be, Premier League experience can be priceless for a club such as Bournemouth and they could probably pick him up for quite cheap if Guardiola does decide he wants to sell him.

Navas is your classic winger, and with his pace and ability to find a man from out wide, him and Callum Wilson could get on just fine.

Georginio Wijnaldum

Can Raffa keep hold of him? The former league winner with PSV and part of the Dutch team that finished third at the 2014 World Cup, Wijnaldum, all things a considered had a pretty good debut season for Newcastle.

He finished as their top scorer and made a name for himself in England with some man of the match performances against the likes of Liverpool and Spurs. The question is, will he stay?

He’s far too good to be playing in the Championship and I can’t help but think that if any Premier League club came knocking, he’d consider it. Why doesn’t Eddie Howe come knocking? It would pretty much be a straight swap with Newcastle for Ritchie and Bournemouth would be getting the better quality player out of the deal! He’s young, hungry and talented. He just joined the wrong club last season.

Juan Mata

Yes I know this one is an absolute long shot, but it’s common knowledge that Manchester United’s Juan Mata will probably be looking for a new club after the appointment of Jose Mourinho as United’s new manager.

For some reason, the Portugese manager just doesn’t like Mata, being the reason he was sold to Man United from Chelsea in the first place! If Mourinho is going to put Mata on the transfer list then that will lower his asking price considerably and with clubs such as Everton rumoured to be in talks with the Spaniard, why wouldn’t he consider Bournemouth?

The Cherries only finished 5 points behind Everton last season and with a manager like Eddie Howe, the draw to play for the South Coast side is bigger than ever!

Bournemouth fans, we want to hear from you! What do you make of this list? Would they make good replacements, or dare we say it, upgrades for your departed star? Let us know below…