Newcastle United 'new signing' claim made by Eddie Howe after January transfer window decision

Eddie Howe heaped praise on Matt Ritchie and Joe White following Newcastle United's 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth.

With the Magpies trailing 2-1 after Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo netted either side of Anthony Gordon's penalty, Howe introduced the midfield pair from the bench in the first minute of stoppage time - and Ritchie emerged as an unlikely hero.

It was the 34-year-old's first goal since 2020 and his first in front of a crowd at St James' Park since the match-winning penalty against Manchester City over five years ago.

Ritchie doesn't get a great amount of game time these days - you have to go back to December 2021 for when he last started a league game - so Howe delighted the winger got his reward. "He’s just an inspirational character behind the scenes," said Howe. "He’s someone that drives standards, very vocal, very enthusiastic - even in the changing room before the game he’s the one driving the group, and that’s someone who hasn’t played as much as he would have wanted to. But he’s putting the team ahead of himself and his own needs.

"When you see someone do that, you just hope at one stage they do get their reward. I try to reward him with my value of him being as high as he can be, knowing how important he is to the group.

"I desperately wanted to keep him here last year because of those standards he drives and because he’s a role model. He gives experience to the players in ways probably I don’t know so for him to get that moment and score that goal, I’m delighted for him."

Meanwhile, White's cameo appearance against the Cherries marked his Premier League debut.

The Carlisle-born 21-year-old spent the first-half of the season on loan at League Two side Crewe Alexandra before Howe decided to retain his services.

"To talk a little bit individually about Joe, he's come back from a loan spell and really matured," said Howe. "That loan spell has done him the world of good and he's trained really, really well and I'm very, very pleased with him. He's almost been like a new signing for us. 

"Of course by training well you earn my trust and I thought that was a good moment to put him on the pitch for his Premier League debut and I thought he did really well actually. I'm delighted with him. 

"I wanted [White and Ritchie] to play their normal games, trying to put them in their best positions and hope they had the qualities to make a difference."