Why a new contract for Matt Ritchie is a good decision by Newcastle
Newcastle United’s Twitter handle claims that midfielder Matt Ritchie has signed a new contract with the club that would keep him at St. James’ Park until the summer of 2023.
Matt Ritchie, 30, came through the ranks of Portsmouth’s youth system played for several teams in England on loan spells, including Notts County and Swindon Town before joining the Cherries in 2013. He scored 31 goals and provided 29 assists in 142 appearances for Bournemouth and then moved to Tyneside with Newcastle United in 2016.
Since then, he has been a regular member in the starting XI, helping the club with 12 goals and 8 assists which was important in the club’s promotion to the top flight in his debut season. He went on to become an integral member of the squad in the following campaigns but was forced to be out of action for the majority of this season due to an ankle injury.
The Scotsman’s return to the team has been a huge boost as the Magpies seek to finish the campaign in a respectable position.
Steve Bruce’s men did a decent job for quite some time but lost their track in recent weeks, without being able to win any of their last five 5 league games. They are currently 14th in the Premier League standings after a goalless draw against Burnley last weekend.
They have made progress in the FA Cup after claiming a narrow 3-2 victory over West Brom in the fifth round. And they need to focus on the remaining fixture if they want to get their hands on a silverware as this is the only chance they have in this season.
However, the manager would be hoping to keep hold of his key players for the new season and by extending Matt Ritchie’s contract, Newcastle have taken the best decision. Despite having a plethora of midfield talents in their ranks, the former Portsmouth man has been a key component in their squad.
Sean Longstaff and Jonjo Shelvey are the only forward-thinking midfielder alongside Ritchie available in their ranks. Nabil Bentaleb and Valentino Lazaro were signed on loan and nothing can be said of their future with the club and therefore, keeping hold of the Scottish ace is a good choice.
The 30-year-old has been in impressive form in the last three seasons and his experience could play a major role for the club in their future endeavours. The Magpies have struggled without him in the middle of the park. he was the team’s top assists provider last season and without him, they have scored just 24 goals, the least in the Premier League so far.
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Verdict
The Scottish international has been a huge presence in the midfield over the years for Newcastle and now that he has returned, they can expect him to bring out the best form the team.
Therefore, by extending Ritchie’s contract, Newcastle have ensured that their midfield would have an experienced and impactful player for few more years.
