Eddie Howe has suggested two Newcastle players may have played their final match for the club in the wake of their humiliating 8-0 defeat in Australia.
Newcastle's controversial post-season tour, which also featured a match against Tottenham, came to an embarrassing end on Friday as a young Magpies side were thrashed by an A-League All Stars side.
Howe made wholesale changes to the team that beat Spurs on penalties on Wednesday and the youthful XI he picked were swept aside by more experienced professionals from Australia and New Zealand.
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Speaking after the match, Howe said that senior players Matt Ritchie and Paul Dummett were "not risked" in the game because he did not want to harm their chances of a potential move this summer.
He told the Chronicle: "They are out of contract. 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,” added Howe, with Newcastle set to qualify for the Europa Conference League if Manchester United lose the FA Cup final against rivals City on Saturday.
"I am sure that will play a part in the futures of the two players we are speaking about."
Howe defended the performance of his young side, which had an average age of just 21.
"It was always going to be difficult. It was really good for the young lads to go through that today," he added.
"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."
The timing of the post-season tour has proved controversial with fans, and has been described as "madness" by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer.
"Can you imagine if you're a player who is playing in either the Copa America or Euro 2024 having to do that? Madness. Crazy," Shearer told BBC's Match Of The Day.
"I wouldn't be happy at all. It's crazy for Newcastle to go and play Spurs there on Wednesday night and then another game."
Topics: Newcastle United, Eddie Howe, Matt Ritchie, Europa Conference League, Alan Shearer
Rory O'Callaghan