Matt Ritchie’s Lionel Messi dream and praise for Eddie Howe as Matt Targett reveals how Aston Villa man convinced him about Newcastle United move

Despite winning none of their first 14 games in charge, Newcastle secured safety with two games left of the season following Leeds United’s defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday night.

For much of the campaign, safety seemed a long way-off for the Magpies, however, they can now face-off against Arsenal and Burnley with little pressure on them.

For many, the turning-point of the season came when the January transfer window opened.

Newcastle added Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett and Dan Burn to their squad - and all five have played huge roles in their turnaround.

However, Ritchie believes that it was the efforts of Howe that galvanised the team to turn their fortunes around:

“Obviously the new lads that have joined in January have slotted into the group, the dressing room and the way the manager wants to work seamlessly and it's been a real recipe for success.” Richie told Boyle Sports EPL.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised to find us in the position we're in now, I knew what he was capable of as a manager and as a man.

“I think I speak for everyone when I say that, as a man, his personality, his principles - working with him previously taught me an awful lot, so I knew him as a person and as a manager.

“I think as a manager, to see what he's done with this group of players - I knew this group had a lot of potential - but if you look individually, everyone to a man has raised their game and come on leaps and bounds and managed to produce performances that have given us points and pushed us up the table.”

As mentioned, one of the new faces brough to the club in January was Aston Villa defender Matt Targett.

Targett, who joined the club on a loan deal until the end of the season, has been impressive at the back and has played a pivotal role in shoring up a porous defence alongside Burn.

The full-back was also full of praise for his new head coach, telling Boyle Sports that he had asked for advice off Villa teammate Danny Ings on what to expect from Howe:

“I spoke to Danny Ings before I moved up here, just asking what he's like as a manager, and he was just full of praise for him and he loved working for him so yeah, I was looking forward to working with him - obviously knowing what a good job he done at Bournemouth and then he's come here and is doing just as well. It's been great working with him."

Newcastle’s survival means fans can, for once, look forward to a summer transfer window that promises to be an exciting one on Tyneside.

Talk of new arrivals is rife and for Ritchie, there’s one man Newcastle should be targeting this summer:

"Right now, today, Lionel Messi.” Ritchie said with, you would imagine, his tongue very firmly in his cheek.