Newcastle are about the feel the heat this summer after it has emerged that Stoke City have offered Matt Ritchie a deal that will see him earn £80,000-a-week, according to a report.
The Sun states that the Magpies midfielder, who Spotrac say currently earns £45,000-a-week, will be on a par with goalkeeper Jack Butland if he heads to the Brittania Stadium.
Ritchie, 28, is under contract at St James’ Park until 2021 and was one of Rafa Benitez’ side’s most influential figures – even scoring the match-winning goal against Manchester United back in February when it had looked as though they were in serious trouble as they flirted with the bottom three.
OPINION:
Ritchie is a serious fan favourite amongst the Newcastle faithful and as such it is not a move that will go down well with the fans. The right-sided flyer might not be the most talented or gifted of players but what he lacks in style and finesse, he more than makes up for in the amount of effort he puts into his performances. A terrier, a workhorse – Ritchie is both of those and more and his goal against Man United back in the winter was just-rewards for his work-rate. Benitez would do well to hold onto his winger but with an incredible pay-packet reportedly being readied for him by the Potters, coupled with the fact that it is likely to be his last chance to grab a big-money move, it is only natural that the 28-year-old will be tempted by such a lucrative offer. With Newcastle needing to sell in order to bring in new players it is looking like a transfer is increasingly likely, but the Magpies will be missing a key industrious figure if he does exit.
