Get the latest NUFC transfer and takeover news straight to your inbox for FREE by signing up to our newsletter Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Rafa Benitez is desperately trying to boost his transfer kitty by shipping a few bodies out.

However I have grave concern over the possibility of Matt Ritchie being one of them.

Ritchie is well-rated, especially by Championship clubs striving for promotion and it’s hardly surprising given what the player did in helping Bournemouth and Newcastle make the Premier League.

However the finances don’t add up, never mind losing a decent performer.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

It’s reckoned that Ritchie would fetch £15m but what would it cost to replace him as a regular starter on United’s wing?

Rafa likes a couple of players who he has had here at Newcastle before but Kenedy would cost £20m and Crystal Palace are supposed to want a staggering £30m for Andros Townsend.

That would be taking away a big chunk of money which should be earmarked for a centre-forward.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

Heaven forbid that Ritchie’s replacement in the first team became Christian Atsu. He is nowhere near a consistent enough contributor to the cause.

Matt is a workaholic, more so than either Kenedy or Townsend, and that’s a great trait. Even if he’s having a mediocre game he never hides.

Rafa and Newcastle have to be careful they don’t leave themselves exposed. It’s a tricky juggling act at the moment and it’s worrying with the players about to return for pre-season training and not one new face through the door.

Remember Martin Dubravka has been here all year.

(Image: PA)

Benitez is respected round the world for what he has achieved in football. If only Mike Ashley would show him the same respect!

Talking of managers, Gareth Southgate blew it in midweek against Belgium, didn’t he?

All of the feelgood factor, the hope and patriotism, the belief and optimism, went in defeat. It’s back to the same-old, same-old.

The mental damage that loss has done is immeasurable.

All England did was advertise their weaknesses. It was madness.

(Image: PA)

England have only won the World Cup once and when they did Sir Alf Ramsey only made a team change when it was absolutely necessary like Geoff Hurst replacing Jimmy Greaves.

He never gave a player a free ride during the tournament of 1966. He fielded his best team every game.

Southgate gambled resting a boatload of players and it failed spectacularly.

The messiah in the waistcoat who had walked on water became the guy who managed Middlesbrough on average days.

As a former England centre-forward I flew to Southampton and went on to Hayling Island to do a gig built round the match and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. England defended like amateurs.

On the Belgian goal I was reminded of the way Newcastle defended before Dubravka came. They used to drop deeper and deeper and not always in a straight line.

Maybe England are now in a better segment of the draw but they have to get past Colombia next and that won’t be easy.

I started work at 5pm on Hayling Island and finished at 11pm. That was quite a shift, though an enjoyable one in terms of audience banter. If only Southgate had matched up it would have been even better.