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JONJO SHELVEY could be queuing up with Lionel Messi for Barcelona next season if he heads down.
That’s the claim by fellow Newcastle star Matt Ritchie, who urged the midfielder to ditch his golf clubs and focus on soccer.
Ritchie said Shelvey has the ability to play for players like Barcelona, but his lack of discipline has slowed him down.
The six-caps English international has scored five goals in 17 appearances for Newcastle this season.
Barcelona is unlikely to rush the 28-year-old this summer, which will be a great relief to Steve Bruce.
But Ritchie has revealed that he regularly tells me that he could play for the Spanish giants “so easily” if he compromised.
He told In The Box: “For me, I have said so many times: ‘If you just lower your head, you focus solely on soccer and forget about golf and anything else …’
“However, it’s true, isn’t it? He’s angry.
“He will play golf three times a week, and I say, ‘Jonj, you can’t do that.’
“He’s like, ‘No, no, I feel better, Matty.’ I’m like, ‘That’s impossible.’
“But what player, what player. I’ve been in Newcastle for four years and I’ve seen him inside a box [rondo] Not more than 10 times.
“That’s how good it is, and we make boxes every day.”
“This guy has the natural ability to just watch passes, receive the ball, move the ball.”
NOU CAN DO IT
He added: “I remember playing against him as a child. I think he was 14 years old, we were playing Charlton U16 in Portsmouth, and I think he scored a hat-trick. He was incredible.
“Obviously he has his moves and ended up in Newcastle. But I say to him very regularly: “Jonj, if your head were screwed, you could play for Barcelona so easily.”
“He is so good, isn’t he?” He is, however. He is so good. “
Barcelona will look to get some bargains this summer as the coronavirus crisis has left them penniless.
The LaLiga team is poised to sell nine players to fund a move for a big name this summer, but it’s not Shelvey.
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