Matt Ritchie missed a penalty for Newcastle United when they played Everton in early March.
Everton have endured an indifferent campaign in Marco Silva’s first season in charge at the club and a big summer lies ahead if they are to prove their worth next season.
One player they should target in the summer is Newcastle United’s underrated winger Matt Ritchie, who could prove to be a bargain buy.
The Daily Mirror recently claimed that 29-year-old Ritchie is ‘likely’ to leave St James’ Park when the transfer window re-opens and the North East club are likely to demand around £10 million for his services.
Throughout this season, Ritchie has showcased his versatility for Rafa Benitez’s side from playing on the right flank to operating on the left.
Given that the Toffees operate with a sole striker, they are heavily reliant on their players making the ball talk in the middle of the park and out wide in order to feed their hardworking forward.
There is no doubt that Ritchie is one of the best at delivering pin-point crosses, not forgetting his off-the-ball work and the fact that he specialises in dead ball situations.
In today’s football market, potentially paying £10 million for a player of Ritchie’s qualities is like a cup of tea, especially if he complements what you already have at your disposal and is arguably better than what is already there.
There is no doubt that Theo Walcott has been a huge disappointment since moving from Arsenal and a player like Ritchie would have more of an impact in the final third because of his directness and ability to put the ball in the danger area.
Over the course of the season, Ritchie has played 30 Premier League matches for Rafa Benitez’s defensive-minded side, scoring two goals and supplying his teammates with four assists [transfermarkt].
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