The Telegraph reporter Luke Edwards has revealed on Twitter that Matt Ritchie is pushing hard to try and secure a move away from Newcastle United and return to Bournemouth before the window shuts.
Also told Ritchie is pushing hard to rejoin Bournemouth, which would, in theory, free up another space in the squad for another loan arrival
— Luke Edwards (@LukeEdwardsTele) January 31, 2021
Ritchie has been the subject of speculation surrounding his potential future throughout January, with the Scotland international having been linked with a potential return to Bournemouth. It had even been reported that the Magpies could make a move for Phillip Billing as part of the deal which would see the versatile 31-year-old leave the club.
However, it seems like Newcastle have moved on to other targets, with Hamza Choudhury continuing to be linked. The Magpies need to free up room in their squad before adding players, and it has been confirmed that DeAndre Yedlin is in talks with Galatasaray over an exit from St James’ Park.
It has now emerged via Edwards’ update that Ritchie is willing to be the next potential player to leave the club. The 31-year-old is keen to return to Bournemouth and help to bolster the Cherries’ chances of making an immediate return to the Premier League.
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Losing Ritchie would be a bit of a blow for the Magpies, with the 31-year-old having plenty of experience and the versatility of being to play in the wide positions and at full-back. The Scotland international has been a good servant for the club, making 159 appearances and helping them to get back into the Premier League in 2017.
The 31-year-old has earned the right to try and ensure he can move on to a club which will be close to his heart after he helped Bournemouth earn promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history back in 2015. His exit would also free up the room for further additions to be made to the Geordies’ squad.
It will be interesting to see if Newcastle allow him to leave the club before the window closes tonight. Bruce would likely need to be confident that his exit could help get other players through the door. It would also leave one less high earner on the wage bill, which would be a help.
