As the Premier League season winds down, Newcastle United are preparing for a significant reshuffle of their squad.
Several players, including Rodrigo Vilca, Jeff Hendrick, Kell Watts, Loris Karius, Paul Dummett, and Matt Ritchie, will see their contracts expire at the end of June. The club have decided not to offer new contracts to these players, marking the end of their tenures at St. James’ Park.
Rodrigo Vilca, the 25-year-old Peruvian midfielder, joined Newcastle United in 2020 from Deportivo Municipal. Initially seen as a promising talent, Vilca’s time at Newcastle has been characterised by multiple loan spells.
He played for Doncaster Rovers in League One back in 2021/22 and then later returned to Peru to play for Universitario before joining FC Vozdovac on loan for the 2023/24 season. Vilca also featured in 27 matches for Newcastle’s Under-21 side.
Vilca’s latest loan spell was with Serbian side FC Vozdovac. Unfortunately, this stint did not go as planned. Limited to just eight starts, Vilca struggled to make a significant impact, scoring only once as Vozdovac were relegated to the second tier.
With his four-year contract with the Magpies concluding next month, Vilca will be seeking a new club this summer per the Gazette.
Newcastle United release Paul Dummett, Matt Ritchie, Loris Karius and Jeff Hendrick
Irish midfielder Jeff Hendrick joined Newcastle from Burnley in 2020. Known for his versatility and experience, Hendrick was once deemed a reliable squad player for the Magpies.
Paul Dummett, a local lad and a long-term servant of Newcastle United, has been with the club since his youth days. Over the years, Dummett has been a dependable defender for the Magpies.
Matt Ritchie has been an influential figure at Newcastle since joining from Bournemouth in 2016. Known for his leadership and work rate, Ritchie played a crucial role in Newcastle’s promotion to the Premier League in 2017 and continued to be a squad player.
German goalkeeper Loris Karius signed with Newcastle as a backup option. Known for his time at Liverpool, Karius’s stint at Newcastle was brief and he did not make a significant impact. And now the Magpies will be seeking a new number two to back up Nick Pope next season.
