Stoke City opinion: Should the Potters sign Matt Ritchie?
Stoke City, in their first season back in the Championship, have not done too well for a club that just got relegated from the Premier League. The Potters haven’t exactly flourished, finishing in 16th place.
The Potters battled relegation for the start of the season before hitting their peak when they reached 8th place. But things changed as the season progressed, with the club struggling to make a difference.
That needs to change in the near future, especially if the Potters ever want to make it back in the Premier League. Their fall from grace was incredible. It needs to change and the Sun has reported that Stoke manager Nathan Jones is targeting Matt Ritchie to help change that.
The 29-year-old has two years left on his deal with Newcastle United and that has interested the Potters boss as he looks for reinforcements.
While they did add heavily last summer by bringing in the likes of Sam Clucas, James McClean, Tom Ince, and Oghenekaro Etebo among others, few have made an impact, with Ince scoring six goals and creating a further 8 more so far.
It shows just where the club needs additions and someone like Matt Ritchie would be absolutely perfect for a Championship side.
While he has done well in the Premier League, it’s really the Championship where the 29-year-old has flourished. In his last season in the Championship, Ritchie scored 12 goals and assisted a further 8 more.
Before that, the Scottish international scored 15 and assisted a further 17 for Bournemouth, with the list going on and on. It shows exactly where Ritchie can make an impact for the Potters and add that to his experience with just under 400 games under his belt.
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Conclusion
Matt Ritchie may not be the world class star that Stoke City fans may want in the near future but his experience and versatility will help the club move along in the Championship. With time, there is a chance that he will help them get even further and make their way back into the Premier League.