Newcastle United winger Matt Ritchie will not be leaving the club in a shock deadline day deal, according to Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope.
Hope, the North East football reporter for the newspaper, reports on his personal Twitter account that the experienced wide man will definitely not be securing an exit despite speculation of such.
I'm told Matt Ritchie will definitely not be leaving NUFC today.
— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) January 31, 2019
TEAMtalk had previously reported that fan favourite Ritchie was seeking an exit to move further south in order to be closer to the rest of his family.
OPINION
It always seemed a hugely farfetched claim that Ritchie was seeking a move away from Newcastle at such a late hour. The winger has been a fan favourite at the club ever since his arrival from Bournemouth in 2016, and quite clearly loves playing in the black and white stripes. That is not to say he does not think about a move south, but the thought of him seeking a last-minute exit from a club he obviously loves was unlikely. It could be that Ritchie ends up leaving the club in the summer – something which has admittedly become more likely with the arrival of Miguel Almiron – but there is no doubt that he remains fully committed to the cause for now. It was his winning penalty which secured victory over Manchester City on Tuesday, and Ritchie’s reaction to that told you all you need to know about his commitment to the club.
