Boro and Stoke chase Ritchie

Newcastle winger Matt Ritchie is a £15 million target for Championship heavyweights Middlesbrough and Stoke.

Tony Pulis, the Middlesbrough manager, is fighting it out with his old club to sign the Scotland international as Newcastle consider letting him leave after two years at the club.

Middlesbrough and Stoke have both held detailed discussions with Newcastle over a potential deal, with £15million understood to be the fee required to sign him.

Ritchie, 28, is also on the radar of former club Bournemouth, but the two Championship clubs are going head to head in a battle to make what would be a major signing. The £12 million recruit made 35 appearances in the Premier League for Newcastle last season, scoring three goals, and it will require much work to persuade him to drop down into the Championship.

Pulis has already spent £10million on Aden Flint and Paddy Mcnair, while Rowett is also building his new Stoke squad with the additions of Benik Afobe and Nigeria international Oghenekaro Etebo.

Stoke, meanwhile, are facing the prospect of losing goalkeeper Lee Grant to Manchester United, as revealed by The Daily Telegraph.

Grant could be third choice for Jose Mourinho but is understood to be interested in the move after United made a firm inquiry.