Newcastle United’s Matt Ritchie is fully expected to leave Tyneside in the summer despite some reports suggesting he could take working towards a coaching role.

How long does Matt Ritchie have left on his contract?

The 33-year-old is now playing into the final months of his deal with the Magpies which does leave his position at the club hanging in the balance.

Ritchie has now been playing his football at St. James’ Park since 2016 having made a £10m move from Bournemouth to the other side of the country.

However, there is a sense the veteran will not be handed a new deal with the Toon looking to take huge strides forward under the ownership of PIF.

And speaking on The Toon Review YouTube channel, Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has suggested there is no chance Ritchie will be staying at Newcastle for next season:

(25:40) “No chance of him staying, no.”

“I would be majorly surprised if he doesn’t move further south to be nearer his family. I think Matt Ritchie and Jamaal Lascelles have been there for a while now. And I think both of them wanted to be around for the likelihood of Newcastle getting into a cup final.”

Could Ritchie go into coaching at Newcastle?

Earlier in the season Ritchie took charge of a number of training sessions for the Toon’s academy with the 33-year-old looking to work towards his coaching badges.

And having spent so long on Tyneside, there has perhaps been a belief that Ritchie could well take up a role within the club’s set-up as a result of his knowledge of the cub.

But this does not seem to be the case with Downie fully expecting to see Ritchie depart Newcastle in the coming months.

The report from The Chronicle which highlighted the player’s involvement in the academy sessions did suggest the Toon would have been open to allowing Ritchie to depart in January had the right offer landed.

Now, Ritchie is set to have his pick of clubs when he becomes a free agent and it is probably the right time for him to move on from the Magpies.

Since Eddie Howe’s arrival on Tyneside in 2021, Ritchie has only featured 12 times for Newcastle across all competitions.

And only five of them have come from the starting XI which is a damning indication that his chances of game time are simply not there at St. James’ Park.

But there is still a lot to play for at Newcastle this season and it would be a stunning way to bow out by lifting the Carabao Cup and potentially even securing Champions League football.

Phil Hay has admitted he would be tempted to hand Rodrigo the chance to extend his Leeds United stay.

The Lowdown: Finally found his feet and form

Rodrigo had struggled for form and to justify his £26 million price tag prior to this season managing just 13 league goals for Leeds, but this season under Jesse Marsch was totally different for the Spaniard.

The forward is the club’s top scorer with 12 goals to his name in all competitions but has been plagued by injury as of late having not stepped onto the pitch since January 28, so is yet to work with new boss Javi Gracia.

However, given the lack of goals and good performances from the likes of Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter during his short stint at Elland Road so far, Leeds are very dependent on Rodrigo’s goals.

The Latest: Rodrigo could sign a new contract

Hay has claimed on The Phil Hay Show that Leeds could well look to offer Rodrigo a new deal if he does manage to refind his form post-injury under Gracia as he’s been dependable this term.

He said: (47:15) “I think he would even say himself that he’s been better this season than he has been in the previous two and at this stage, he’s starting to get into the latter stages of his contract.

“I actually think I’d be quite tempted to extend it if he carries on playing like this.”

The Verdict: New contract must be on sensible terms

Given that Rodrigo is set to turn 32 later this month and pushing on into the twilight years of his career, a new deal could be tricky to negotiate as Leeds wouldn’t want to be trapped into a long-term contract, whereas the striker would likely want reassurances which would be understandable as he’d want a final big payday and also because he’s been ‘excellent’ this term.

Rodrigo has indeed been Leeds’ best player this season with 12 goals across all competitions and the Whites have certainly become dependent on him as they’ve won just one game when he hasn’t been starting.

The Spaniard may be keen to extend his stay if Gracia is afforded the job on a long-term basis and also if Leeds maintain their top-flight status because if they drop into the Championship there will be next to no chance that he’s eager on playing in the second-tier of English football.

One area of concern for Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag in recent times has been the lack of midfield depth, with a number of injury and suspension issues having left that department looking rather depleted.

The return of Scott McTominay from his muscular issue has somewhat eased those woes – while both Casemiro and Marcel Sabitzer have now served their respective domestic and European bans – although the Red Devils are still set to be without both Donny van de Beek and Christian Eriksen for an extended period of time.

The loss of the latter man, in particular, has proven a notable blow for the Old Trafford outfit, with the Denmark international set to be out of action until the latter stages of the campaign, having sustained an ankle injury as a result of a stern challenge from Reading’s Andy Carroll in the FA Cup last month.

The 31-year-old had been an almost ever-present since joining on a free transfer during the summer, with the one-time Tottenham Hotspur man having scored twice and provided nine assists in 31 games in all competitions so far this season, with 27 of those outings coming from the start.

The loss of the experienced playmaker has left something of a creative void in Ten Hag’s side, with recent arrival Sabitzer having yet to truly showcase his attacking quality, after failing to provide a goal or an assist in his four outings in all competitions so far.

If the former Ajax boss is looking to find a better fit to help fill the hole left by Eriksen between now and the end of the season, the 53-year-old may well be wise to look to the club’s academy ranks to find a suitable option.

Who can replace Eriksen at Man United?

While Kobbie Mainoo has already been handed a brief taste of first-team action in recent weeks, the 17-year-old could be joined in the senior set-up by fellow teenager, Dan Gore, with the latter man also currently thriving at academy level.

The 18-year-old Englishman no doubt mirrors the aforementioned Eriksen with his ability to operate in an advanced playmaking berth or in a central midfield role, having scored twice and provided one assist in 18 games in all competitions this season.

The former Burnley asset – who boasts a haul of four goals and five assists for the Red Devils’ U18 side to date – was notably part of the FA Youth Cup-winning side last season alongside the likes of Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, with the aim now to join his youth colleagues in making the step up to the first team.

Lauded as “one of the most talented youngsters” in the club’s academy by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Gore was also the recipient of notable praise from youth coach Colin Little last season, who stated:

“He (Gore)’s been absolutely brilliant. You get what you see with Dan Gore. He brings it to training every day, he is competitive, combative, he is a really good footballer. He has been progressing really well, like the others.”

Likened to Chelsea gem Mason Mount, the England youth international is said to have ‘very strong’ creativity, technique and vision – among other qualities – as per Kulig, with such traits no doubt similar to that of Eriksen, who has been praised for his “intelligence” by club legend Paul Scholes.

As Little noted above, Gore can also offer a ‘combative’ presence in the centre of the park alongside his more forward-thinking qualities, having showcased he is not afraid to leave his mark after reportedly producing a crunching, training ground challenge on Anthony Martial, sparking a furious reaction from the Frenchman.

That added bite to go with the teen’s creative flair should ensure that he is able to swiftly adjust to life in the first team, with the hope being that it is not too long until he is called upon by Ten Hag.

Craig Hope has insisted that Eddie Howe is frustrated by how Newcastle United have ended up having to play Loris Karius.

The Lowdown: Karius has a chance to impress

It is simply the stuff of dreams for Karius and the worst nightmare for Nick Pope as Newcastle’s number one is set to miss the Carabao Cup final due to the red card he picked up in the Liverpool defeat.

Whereas Karius is set to make his Toon debut due to Martin Dubravka being cup-tied, although he may well have not had the chance to do so if Howe had not been persistent behind the scenes.

Karius was brought in at the back end of 2022 on a short-term basis due to Karl Darlow’s injury and it looked as though that would be it, although Howe pushed hard for the club to keep Karius amid Darlow’s desire to leave in January.

The Latest: Howe far from impressed by the goalkeeper situation

Hope has admitted on the True Faith podcast that Howe is indeed frustrated with how the situation has been allowed to unfold behind the scenes that will now see him being forced to play someone that’s not kicked a ball in two years.

He said: (52:00) “For all the credit we’ve given Newcastle United for how they’ve managed themselves on and off the pitch in the last 18 months and 10/10 top marks, they’ve got the goalkeeping situation wrong.

“To be so well-stocked in the goalkeeping department and end up with your fourth choice, I know Eddie’s frustrated over it, it’s not ideal and I do think they’ve made a mistake.

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“Four players have been allowed to leave the club this season and on four occasions Eddie has sat down in front of us and he’s used the phrase, we’ve got to respect the wishes of the player, or it was a good deal for the club.”

The Verdict: Newcastle could be their own worst enemy

If Newcastle are to lose on Sunday they will hope it’s from Manchester United being the better team and absolutely nothing to do with how their fourth-choice keeper has performed as that will only cast a grey could over what’s been a stunning season.

PIF have been hailed for the signings and smart business they’ve done since taking over Newcastle with signings such as Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes proving to be great purchases, although letting Dubravka leave for a top-four rival at the start of the season is looking more and more peculiar as the days roll on.

Had Dubravka not gone out to Man United then he would indeed very likely be getting ready to start a cup final for Newcastle and it would’ve filled Magpies fans with hope given he’s played 132 times for the Toon and been a good servant, but now it all falls on Karius who is yet to even make his debut.

West Ham crashed out of the FA Cup on Wednesday evening as they succumbed to a late comeback from Manchester United at Old Trafford.

David Moyes’ side led until the 77th minute thanks to Said Benrahma’s super strike but couldn’t even take the game until extra time, with the hosts scoring three late goals to seal their spot in the quarter-finals.

First, Nayef Aguerd’s own goal gifted Erik ten Hag’s side an equaliser, before Alejandro Garnacho curled in a last-minute strike to steal the win for United.

There was still time for Fred to make it 3-1 with virtually the last kick of the game, to ensure that the Hammers won’t be playing at Wembley this season, with the focus returning to the fight against relegation.

How did Lucas Paqueta play against Manchester United?

While Hammers fans might be quick to blame Aguerd after his unfortunate own goal, and his role in the Hammers’ third, there were a number of poor performances on show at Old Trafford.

Lucas Paqueta was certainly guilty of a disappointing display, with Sofascore awarding the Brazilian a woeful 6.2/10 rating on Wednesday night, with only Aguerd (5.9) ranked lower from every player to feature in the game from both sides.

During his time on the pitch, the former Lyon man really struggled with his passing, completing just 34/45 passes with a success rate of just 76%, which is a decrease on the 80.9% success rate he has averaged in the Premier League so far this season.

In a game which required the Hammers to show a measure of control, Paqueta looked panicked on the ball, losing possession on a remarkable 20 occasions, which was more than any other West Ham player.

The £150k-per-week earner was often second best when battling with the home players, as he would win just six of his 17 duels in the game, while he was also dribbled past on two occasions, which again is an increase on the 1.1 times he has been dribbled past per game in the top flight this campaign.

The Brazil international is expected to be the creative outlet in West Ham’s midfield but he would muster just one key pass and one shot at Old Trafford, compared to his seasonal average of 0.9 key passes and 2.2 shots.

Considering the 25-year-old is the east London side’s record signing, he needs to start showing more consistency in a West Ham shirt, as this was another underwhelming performance since his summer switch from Lyon.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has personally targeted RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol as a replacement for Aymeric Laporte.

The Lowdown: Laporte benched…

Part of life as a player under Guardiola is growing accustomed to his ever-rotating starting eleven, with previously untouchable stars not exempt.

Laporte has played a significant role in City title challenges, most recently usurping John Stones as the main partner to Ruben Dias last season.

The Spaniard has been praised for his performances at Eastlands, having made over 170 appearances for the club whilst playing a hand in 11 major trophies (Transfermarkt).

However, this season Guardiola has largely experimented with City’s back four/back three – chopping and changing with the likes of Manuel Akanji seeing plenty of minutes.

The Latest: Man City eye Gvardiol…

As such, Laporte is now believed to be unhappy with his game time and prepared to leave Manchester.

This is according to Foot Mercato, who also claim City have already identified the 28-year-old’s replacement.

It is believed Guardiola has personally targeted RB Leipzig star Gvardiol as Laporte’s heir with City marking him out as a key transfer target.

City even lodged a £96 million-plus-bonuses ‘offer’ to Leipzig in January but no agreement was reached.

Gvardiol, after this failed attempt, remains a summer ‘priority’ for the Blues.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Called a ‘sensational’ defender by members of the press, Gvardiol absolutely dazzled for Croatia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – further raising his stock as one of football’s most promising young central defenders.

City supporters will remember the 21-year-old for his goal against them in the Champions League recently.

Indeed, Gvardiol buried an equalising header in their last 16 tie against Leipzig with the first leg finishing 1-1.

The Croatian is set to face off against Guardiola’s side at the Etihad this month, a match which may well act as another audition for the player.

Gvardiol may certainly be worth the effort to obtain going by his growing reputation, not to mention Guardiola’s alleged fondness.

Arsenal could see Reiss Nelson depart at the end of the campaign in a bid to secure himself some more regular first-team action.

How long does Reiss Nelson have left on his contract?

The 23-year-old did only return to north London in the summer having spent some time away on loan in the Netherlands with Feyenoord.

And his current deal with the Gunners is set to expire at the end of the current campaign although there have been reports of a potential extension.

It is believed the north London side are in talks with Saturday’s match-winner over the possibility of extending his stay at the Emirates Stadium.

However, speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed that despite his love for the club, Nelson could look to leave in the coming months:

“He might sign from what I’m hearing and he does like it there, but he’s not going to get any guarantees over playing time. So don’t be surprised if he does move on.”

Will Reiss Nelson sign a new deal with Arsenal?

The youngster certainly has a big decision to make over the coming months with his development potentially on the line if he chooses to remain at Arsenal.

Nelson has proven his value under Mikel Arteta this season having scored some important goals to help the Gunners along the way as they look to lift the Premier League title.

However, the Englishman has not started a single Premier League game this season and has just 84 minutes of league action under his belt (via Transfermarkt).

It has to be noted that he has had ongoing injury issues which have sidelined him for large chunks of the 2022/23 campaign, but his opportunities, when fit, have been extremely limited.

Having said that, in the two games when he has featured for more than a brief cameo, Nelson has provided Arteta with three goals and two assists in the league. Which equates to a stunning goal involvement return of one every 17 minutes.

But with this in mind, it could open doors in the summer to potentially earn himself a move to a club that would be willing to offer him more regular football over the long term.

Although his record is mightily impressive, it is unsustainable if he was to be given regular action which may quickly see Arteta lose faith in the player.

If the Gunners are to get their hands on the league title then there would be no better way of bowing out, however, he may still feel as if he could earn himself a spot in the starting XI.

Phil Hay believes that Rodrigo may only be a few weeks from returning to the Leeds United first team.

The Lowdown: Leeds missing a goal threat

Leeds have certainly had to deal with their fair share of injuries this season with players such as Rodrigo, Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas all missing matches this term with differing injuries.

It has been in the final third where it’s hurt them the most with Bamford struggling to stay fit for a pronged period of time and now their top scorer Rodrigo is currently out and no return looking imminent.

However, Hay does believe he’s not far away now and it would be natural for him to be pushing back to full fitness as soon as possible to try and impress Gracia and get back his starting spot through the middle.

The Latest: Rodrigo pushing for a return

While no return will be likely this week, Hay has admitted on The Phil Hay Show that Rodrigo could be back in the famous white shirt in a matter of weeks which will be a huge boost for Gracia.

He said: (14:35) “I do feel like they’re missing Rodrigo, I do feel like it’s been unfortunate he’s picked up an injury at the time when goals were flying in and I think his performances for Leeds there was more leadership in them than we’d seen from him before and they were definitely more effective than they’d ever been before.

“I think he would be contributing pretty heavily to this and he would be someone that Gracia would want to be in the thick of it.

“He can’t be too far away now, I would probably imagine he’s got another few weeks, maybe another month.”

The Verdict: Gracia will be desperate for a returning Rodrigo

Gracia and Rodrigo missed out on the chance to work together at Valencia as the striker departed for the Whites just a month after walking into the job, so for him to now be injured and missing out on working with him again will be gutting.

Rodrigo has been by far and away Leeds’ most reliable man in the final third this season with an impressive record of 10 goals in just 17 league starts so it’s no doubt Leeds need him starting to stay up.

If Leeds are to stay up then having a reliable goalscorer – who’s in the best form of his Premier League career – is something that certainly need so Gracia will be keen for Rodrigo to return, but also won’t want to rush him back and risk aggravating the injury.

Manchester City are  willing to push Arsenal all the way in the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Man City eyeing a new midfielder

Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he wants to sign a new midfielder in the summer transfer window, with it recently emerging that Alexis Mac Allister is being targeted in a deal which could cost more than £70m.

The Sky Blues have also been linked with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, although it may be difficult to land the 19-year-old, given that Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid are also interested.

The Latest: Man City will push to sign Rice

According to Football Insider, Man City are planning to push Premier League title rivals Arsenal all the way in the transfer race for Rice over the summer.

The likes of Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested in the England midfielder, who could cost as much as £80m, although Champions League qualification could be crucial in this pursuit.

That puts City in a very strong position, with them looking like certainties to qualify for the tournament again next season, whereas that seems a tall order for the Merseysiders and west Londoners.

The Verdict: Get it done?

West Ham manager David Moyes has previously stated that £100m would be considered a ‘cheap’ amount for his club’s captain, so the potential availability of Rice for £80m gives City all the more reason to pursue a deal.

Hailed as ‘incredible’ by journalist Matt Law in the past, the 24-year-old ranks in the top 11% compared to other midfielders in Europe’s five main leagues for numerous key metrics, including his pass completion rate, progressive carries and interceptions.

Rice’s long-range shooting was also on display in the Irons’ 4-0 victory against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, netting his team’s third goal with a fantastic strike from outside the penalty box, achieving an 8.2 Sofascore rating for his efforts.

Also, the 24-year-old is likely to be just about to enter his prime footballing years, and he would appear be an excellent prospective addition to Guardiola’s side.

One area that does appear in need of strengthening for Newcastle United this summer is in central midfield, with Eddie Howe’s side currently looking rather thin on the ground with regard to options in that department.

The decision to allow Jonjo Shelvey to join relegation strugglers Nottingham Forest has only exacerbated the lack of midfield depth, hence the need for the Magpies to adequately bolster their ranks if they are to push on again next season.

It does appear that the Tynesiders have already identified a possible solution to that problem in the form of Celta Vigo starlet, Gabriel ‘Gabri’ Veiga, with reports on the continent having spoken of the Premier League side’s interest.

As one Spanish outlet claimed earlier in the week, the St James’ Park outfit – as well as both Manchester United and Real Madrid – are seemingly keeping tabs on the promising Spaniard, following what has been a remarkable, breakthrough campaign for the 20-year-old in La Liga.

Another outlet – AS (via Sports Witness) – previously revealed that Newcastle had sent scouts to watch the youngster in action, with the top-four hopefuls said to be ‘one of the most interested’ in acquiring the playmaker’s services.

The Spain U21 international will likely not come cheap for any suitor, however, as he reportedly has a €40m (£35m) release clause in his current deal.

What is Gabri Veiga’s style of play?

The 6-foot sensation – who has risen up through Celta’s youth ranks – has the versatility to feature on the flanks, yet has typically lined up in an attacking midfield role in his embryonic career to date, notably sharing a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with current Magpies star, Joe Willock, as per FBref.

That likeness is indicated by the fact that the two men both offer a real forward-thinking and dynamic midfield approach, with Willock having racked up 73 progressive passes and 57 progressive carries so far this season, while Veiga is only just behind as he has recorded 41 and 66 for the same two metrics, respectively.

That willingness to get forward had also been showcased by the fact that the latter man ranks in the top 5% in Europe among those in his position for touches in the attacking penalty area, while the former Arsenal man – who arrived in the northeast on an initial loan deal back in February 2021 – ranks in the top 1% in that regard.

Such a comparison seemingly bodes well for the impact that the Spaniard can make on Tyneside, with Willock currently thriving after starting 20 Premier League games this season, having earned praise for his form from manager Howe, who stated back in January:

“He’s very athletic, got an eye for goal, technically very good and tactically he is improving.”

To be able to recruit a similar figure in the form of Veiga would certainly enhance the level of competition in Howe’s squad, with the emerging gem having sparkled this season with eight goals and three assists from his 23 appearances in the Spanish top flight.

An “interesting box-to-box midfielder” – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – the highly-coveted ace has no doubt warranted such interest such has been his stellar hot streak so far this season, having notably produced an “amazing performance”, as per Kulig, against Real Valladolid last month.

While Newcastle will clearly have a fight on their hands to land the Willock-esque starlet, a summer swoop could well prove a real masterstroke.