Ritchie ‘the level of player who interests us’, claims Stoke boss

STOKE City manager Gary Rowett has all but confirmed the Potters’ interest in Newcastle United winger Matt Ritchie.

Reports yesterday claimed Stoke, Middlesbrough and AFC Bournemouth were all targeting the 28-year-old – and it is understood all three have registered an interest in the Scotland international.

Newcastle are not actively looking to sell Ritchie, who is an important member of Rafa Benitez’s first-team squad.

However, their resolve could be tested by a sizeable offer from any of the interested clubs, with claims of a £15million bid from Stoke or Boro being in the pipeline.

Although Rowett did not name Ritchie as a target, he confirmed the Potters were interested in the “level of player” Stoke have been linked with so far.

He said: “We have a very varied target list out there and I have always said the same, when you are linked with players they are not always true... but often some of them are. We want the level of player we are being linked with.

“That is the type and the level of player we are trying to bring into the club.

“A lot of those players will be different styles, they will not all be one type of player.

“However, there are players we think can come in and make a difference.

“We are working very hard to try to get some of the targets we have all agreed upon and ultimately it is like anything.

“I want them tomorrow and they (the board) want the best deals.

“We then work together to try to find the middle ground.”

Ritchie joined Newcastle from Bournemouth for £12m during the summer of 2016 and has scored 15 goals and provided 12 assists in 77 league appearances since.