OPINION
Newcastle United midfielder Matt Ritchie has been at the heart of the side for a while now, and it would be odd to ever think of him leaving.
Well, think again, because according to reliable outlet Team Talk, the United mainstay wants a move to a club further down south.
Yes, you read that right – Ritchie wants to leave Newcastle and is hoping to seal a deadline day move.
This is a shock revelation that will cause boss Rafa Benitez to tear his hair out, as Ritchie is often at the centre of the club’s successes, most recently scoring the winning penalty that saw the Magpies secure a shock victory over Manchester City on Tuesday.
Many supporters will no doubt question why one of their best players wants to depart, and it is easy to see why – having made 25 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring two and providing five goals, Ritchie is the one player Newcastle really cannot do without.
The club have been heading in the right direction recently after the result against City and their deal for Miguel Almiron, so it remains to be seen why he wants to leave all of a sudden.
Newcastle must pull out all the stops to prevent him leaving before the window slams shut, as losing him would have a detrimental effect on how they perform this season.
When Ritchie is on form, is basically unplayable, so why on earth would United consider offloading him to one of their Premier League rivals from down south?
It makes no sense in the slightest, so Benitez must do his utmost to ensure that it does not happen.
Newcastle need Ritchie in such an important season for the club, so letting him leave must not be an option.
