Don Goodman shares key factor behind Portsmouth move for Matt Ritchie
Don Goodman has reacted to the news that Portsmouth are potentially interested in signing Matt Ritchie following his Newcastle United release.
BBC Sport journalist Chris Wise reported on May 29 that Ritchie would possibly be interested in a return to Fratton Park this summer.
That speculation has not gone away, with Pompey looking to use their status as a Championship club again to lure some big names.
Goodman believes Ritchie’s experience could be a massive help to the dressing room, but is unsure if the midfielder is as fit as he once was.
“It really depends what John Mousinho’s plans would be for him,” Goodman told Pompey News. “If it’s to play him week in, week out, well that comes down to his physical condition – and he hasn’t played a lot of late.
“Experience is a brilliant thing to have in the Championship. The other thing you do need, though, is legs, energy and mobility – that’s absolutely crucial. It’s probably the most important thing for a team.
“Whether Matt still has those attributes, I don’t know given we didn’t see an awful lot of him last season. One thing he’s certainly got is experience and knowledge that he can pass on to other players in the Portsmouth dressing room that have yet to play at Championship level.”
Matt Ritchie to Portsmouth transfer makes sense
Pompey need to be sensible with their transfer business this summer after seeing a raft of players depart on the back of earning promotion.
Ipswich Town kept the core of the side that went up from League One and were rewarded with back-to-back promotions.
Nobody is expecting that at Fratton Park, of course, but it shows the importance of keeping hold of your key men and adding players around them.
Ritchie would be a good addition in that regard; a player capable of starting one in every three games, say, and a player who has proved he can make an impact higher than this level.
The versatile gem would arrive on a free transfer, although it remains to be seen how high his wages will be. If that is not an issue, the club should make this move happen.
In other Portsmouth news, the club are reportedly in the race to sign a player from Barnsley.
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