The Northern Echo claim Scott Parker is considering a raid on his old club Newcastle in a bid to lure Matt Ritchie back to Bournemouth. Ritchie is about to enter the final 12 months of his Toon contract.
Six years ago, 32-year-old Ritchie swapped Bournemouth for Newcastle after the Toon had been relegated. He has since been a stalwart for the Toon – clocking up 188 appearances for the Tyneside club.
- Newcastle and Tottenham want Leeds star, but Elland Road is his best move
- Robin Koch an unsung hero at right-back in Leeds’ final games of 21/22
He has had a hand in 57 goals during that time. But with Newcastle’s enormous wealth, they are expected to make more signings this summer. Ritchie has fallen down the pecking order under Howe on Tyneside.
The likes of Allan Saint-Maximin, Ryan Fraser and Miguel Almiron are preferred out wide, while Matty Targett has signed permanently at left-back. The Echo says Parker wants to lure Ritchie back to the Vitality.
Bournemouth considering Newcastle raid for Ritchie
Ritchie is about to enter the final year of his £45k-a-week (Spotrac) contract and the chances of it being renewed are almost zero. If he does remain at Newcastle for 22-23, he might struggle to make the matchday squad.
Indeed, Ritchie needs to leave and there is no better move than remaining in the Premier League with a club he knows so well – having played 142 times for the Cherries. Bournemouth need a bit of experience.
Howe recently said that Ritchie has been “integral” to Newcastle’s success on the pitch, due to his work in training and his influence off of it. But now, a return to Bournemouth surely makes sense.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
