Newcastle: Howe could offload £145k-a-week quartet at St James' Park

Newcastle might not offload Karl Darlow, Ciaran Clarke, Matt Ritchie, and Dwight Gayle this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie.

The £145,000 per-week quartet have been placed on a list of players that could leave St James’ Park, but Downie doesn’t necessarily think that will definitely prove the case.

According to a report in the Telegraph, their St James’ Park careers could be coming to an end following a lack of opportunities under Eddie Howe.

Darlow made just eight top-flight appearances all season having lost his place in the side to Martin Dubravka and hasn’t played since November, while Clark turned out just 13 times and not since the end of January.

Ritchie was given the most time on the pitch, featuring in 18 Premier League games in total, but after dropping out of the team after Christmas, he made just two substitute outings from then on in.

Gayle endured the most frustrating campaign of the four, playing just 30 minutes in the league, made up of eight appearances from the bench.

Despite the quartet hardly having a look in during the second half of the season, Downie reckons there could be a surprise when it comes to deciding their futures.

When asked if he expects them to all leave, he told GIVEMESPORT: “There might be a surprise among that list, but I do expect there to be a bit of a clear out and then they’ll need to bring in some fresher players, because a lot of those guys have been there a long time.”

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Gayle’s considerable lack of minutes would suggest that he’s not in Howe’s plans and will definitely leave, as will Clark, who wasn’t even named in a matchday squad from February onwards.

Ritchie was also