Matt Ritchie is getting closer to finding a new club after his Newcastle United release.
With June coming to an end, Matt Ritchie is no longer a Newcastle United player. His contract expired at the end of last month, and the club had previously announced that he would not be getting an extension.
It resulted in some fantastic tributes to Ritchie, who was an incredibly reliable player during his Toon career.
But it is a Toon career that is now over, with the 34-year-old needing to find himself a new club.
Championship clubs queue up for Matt Ritchie
A move to the Championship feels likely, with a few clubs showing an interest in the veteran midfielder.
The first was Watford, and it then emerged that Portsmouth were considering handing Ritchie a return to the south coast. That is his dream, but it did not initially look like Pompey would be interested.
That has now changed, but there is another club registering their interest in Ritchie, and they are giving him a decision to make as the start of the 2024/25 season looms.
Ritchie receives offer after Newcastle United release
The free agent now has an offer on the table, but it is not from Portsmouth.
That is according to Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope, who has taken to X to provide details of an approach from recently relegated Sheffield United.
He wrote on X: “Matt Ritchie has interest from Sheffield United. Portsmouth, too, but I’m hearing it’s SUFC who have made the free agent an offer.”
Good opportunity for Ritchie
While Ritchie’s dream is to go back to Portsmouth, the chance to play for Sheffield United could be too good to turn down.
They will be playing in the second tier after relegation, and could really benefit from his leadership.
That is exactly what you will get from Ritchie, and it is why Eddie Howe wanted to keep him. He was a brilliant presence behind the scenes at Newcastle, ensuring that standards were always high.
He is the type of character you want in a dressing room, and it is probably why Sheffield United are trying to seize the opportunity to bring him to Bramall Lane.
The latest regarding the other players who Newcastle released
As for the other senior players who left Newcastle United, the likes of Paul Dummett, Loris Karius and Jeff Hendrick are still without a club.
Dummett was spotted in Germany over the weekend, watching on as England beat Switzerland to advance to the semis of Euro 2024. He was alongside close friend Mark Gillespie, who recently got married.
And the same goes for Loris Karius, who recently tied the knot with his partner Diletta Leotta.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
