"No contract offer" - Howe admits two Mags at risk of summer exit and explains 8-0 loss

Eddie Howe has confirmed that the club are yet to offer Matt Ritchie or Paul Dummett's new contracts, revealing how the FA Cup final could go a long way towards deciding their futures on Tyneside.

Speaking after today's 8-0 defeat to the A-League All Stars, he explained that both were left out as it would've been a "big risk" to play two players who may be searching for new clubs next month.

However, it sounds like they may yet be handed new deals if we secure European football for the 2024/25 season, with qualification for the Europa Conference League dependent on Man City beating Man Utd tomorrow afternoon.

"They are out of contract." Howe said on Ritchie and Dummett after the game. "So for obvious reasons, it would have been a big risk with no contract offer for them at the moment.

"A lot of is riding on the FA Cup final for the club. In terms of revenue for next year and European qualification will be massive for us. I am sure that will play a part in the futures of the two players we are speaking about."

The boss then discussed our 8-0 hammering to the A-League All Stars, where Mark Gillespie was the only senior play for a young Mags side that were battered in Melbourne. He said: "It was always going to be difficult. It was really good for the young lads to go through that today. I think you could see the difference between the All Stars and they played very well against the inexperience of some of our players.

"The biggest difference was physically in the last part of the game where they could bring substitutions on. They look good and stronger for it and we tailed off quite badly. There's a lot of individual growth there from that game.

"It was always going to be a test. I could not take any risk with any senior player, it would have been foolish of me to jeopardise their futures going into next season.

"Today was about giving an opportunity to young players and to see who out of that group could next year play a part in our first team. It is difficult to fully analyse every single player. Collectively we weren't strong enough.

"I am sure some of the players will look back on the day and feel there is a lot more to do to get to the first team."