Eddie Howe has a big decision to make at left-back this summer, as he could have four players challenging for one spot next season. Howe currently has Jamal Lewis, Matt Ritchie, Paul Dummett and the on-loan Matt Targett to choose from and probably needs to axe two players ahead of 2022/23.
Ritchie and Dummett have been at Newcastle far longer than Lewis and Targett, but they could be the ones to face the chop. Ritchie was a regular earlier in the season, playing in 16 of their first 18 Premier League games, but he’s featured just once in 2022.
The 32-year-old has spent the last four months on the bench or out of the matchday squad. Dummett has endured a similar fate too. The 6ft left-back has made only three league appearances this season due to injury and is out of contract in the coming months.
Dummett has reportedly been offered a new deal, but Newcastle may be better off letting him go. The Magpies will save £2.34m in wages on Ritchie and £1.82m on Dummett, so that money could go towards Targett’s £15m deal with Aston Villa.
Lewis was left out of Newcastle’s squad in January due to injury, but Howe is looking forward to getting him back on the training ground so he may still have a future. Targett has shone on loan, so it would be foolish to let him go.
