Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden has paid tribute to Toon teammate Matt Ritchie ahead of him leaving St James' Park.

The club have announced their retained list following the conclusion of the 2023/24 season, with five senior Newcastle United players not being given new contracts.

The two biggest names set to leave are Paul Dummett and Matt Ritchie, who were two of the longest serving players at the club. Jamaal Lascelles will now replace Dummett as Newcastle's longest serving player, as the 32-year-old calls time on a 24-year association with the Magpies.

Matt Ritchie to leave Newcastle after eight years As for Ritchie, he has been with Newcastle United since 2016. He joined the club for PS12million from Bournemouth, signed by Rafa Benitez as he looked to guide the club out of the Championship.

Benitez did exactly that, and he was largely helped by Ritchie. He was a key player in the second tier, and has remained important ever since.

That is why Eddie Howe wanted to keep the 34-year-old, but no European football meant it was not a viable option.

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Isaac Hayden's excellent message about Matt Ritchie at Newcastle United While Newcastle are releasing a player who has not started a Premier League game since December 2021, that does not mean his importance should be underestimated.

That is the view of Isaac Hayden, who has taken to X to let people know just how valuable Ritchie has been to Newcastle United.

"One of a kind," he wrote.

"Incredibly important figure to help get the club to where it is now, more than people realise.

"Good luck on what's next."

Hayden, who joined Newcastle during the same summer as Ritchie, signed off his tweet with a magic hat emoji, referencing the chant that Toon fans have sang about the Scotland international for years.

What is next for Isaac Hayden at St James' Park Hayden has paid a wonderful tribute to Ritchie, whose Newcastle United career is set to end this summer. It is unclear what is next for the corner flag-kicking enthusiast, and the same goes for Hayden.

While Ritchie's contract is expiring soon, Hayden actually has a couple of years left on his Toon deal. As it stands, he will be a Newcastle United player until 2026.

But the 29-year-old is surplus to requirements at St James' Park, and will likely be on the move again this summer.

Hayden has spent the second half of the 2023/24 season on loan at Queens Park Rangers, and the Athletic have reported that the Championship side are keen to bring him back to Loftus Road.

Hopefully they are able to do just that, and it would be even better if it was a permanent deal. However, that might be challenging given Hayden's Newcastle contract situation.