Five players officially leave Newcastle United as 24-year-old signs two-year deal

Matt Ritchie, Paul Dummet, Loris Karius, Jeff Hendrick and Kell Watts’ contracts at Newcastle officially expired on Sunday, June 30, leaving them free to find new clubs.

Reflecting on the departing players, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said earlier this month: "I’d like to say a huge thank you to each of the players leaving the club this summer.

“They have all given so much to the cause in their own ways, and I know our supporters will join me in wishing them every success with the next step in their careers.”

Kell Watts

Watts is the only player departing Newcastle at the end of the week to have already agreed terms with another club. The 24-year-old defender will join League One side Cambridge United on a two-year deal starting July 1.

He spent the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Wigan Athletic but found himself limited to just 14 League One appearances, the last coming in December 2023.

Wigan had an agreement to make Watts’ loan permanent in the summer but both parties opted against a deal with the player left out of the matchday squad for the majority of the second half of the 2023-24 season.

Watts’ only competitive first-team appearance for Newcastle came off the bench against Liverpool in 2020.

Loris Karius

Karis joined Newcastle as a free agent back in 2022 but was limited to just two appearances for the club. His debut came in the 2022-23 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United at Wembley Stadium and his second appearance came almost exactly one year later in a 4-1 Premier League defeat at Arsenal in February 2024.

The German goalkeeper is seeking regular first-team football with a move to Italy to be closer to his new wife Diletta Leotta and daughter Aria a priority.

Paul Dummett

Dummett will leave Newcastle after 213 first-team appearances and 24 years at the club having progressed through the academy system. The defender made his final appearance in the 4-2 win at Brentford on the last day of the 2023-24 campaign.

Howe had hinted Dummett could have been offered a new deal had Newcastle qualified for Europe as he qualifies as a club-trained player in UEFA’s squad quota. But missing out on European football ultimately sealed the defender’s fate.

Matt Ritchie

Ritchie is another player who leaves Newcastle in high regard for his contributions over the years. The 34-year-old was influential in helping The Magpies earn promotion back to the Premier League and had continued to make an impact on and off the pitch since.

Ritchie made 215 appearances for the club, scoring 25 goals including a last-minute equaliser against his former club AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League back in February.

He has already attracted interest from several Championship clubs with Portsmouth and Watford among those linked.

Jeff Hendrick

A difficult spell for Hendrick at Newcastle is now officially over. The midfielder joined the club as a free agent back in 2020 and made an instant impact with a goal and an assist on his debut against West Ham United.

Loan spells at Queens Park Rangers, Reading and Sheffield Wednesday followed and now he will be free to join a new club.