Following transfer talks with Sunderland and other Championship clubs, Oxford United has expressed an interest in Josh Murphy.
Sunderland are among numerous Championship clubs linked with Oxford winger Josh Murphy, but what are his prospects of leaving the Kassam Stadium this summer?
The 29-year-old’s contract will expire in June, as Oxford prepare for their League One play-off semi-final against Peterborough. Murphy has been a vital player for the U’s under head coach Des Buckingham, scoring six goals in 28 league games this season. Southampton, West Brom, and Hull have all expressed interest.
We spoke with Oxford Mail reporter Liam Rice to learn more about Murphy’s circumstances.
How significant has Murphy been to Oxford this season?
LR: “Murphy’s season has basically been divided into two halves. Under Liam Manning, he was marginalised and could only make occasional appearances off the bench. Murphy took over as head coach of the U’s after Manning left for Bristol City in mid-November under Des Buckingham. He progressively appeared to be a threat, and it was most likely around February that he began to click into gear. Since then, he’s been electrifying, and it’s reasonable to assume that United would not have made the playoffs without his wing displays.
What are his primary strengths and areas for improvement?
LR: “Strengths are pace, pace, and more pace.Murphy’s quickness can give defenders a head start, but he can easily outpace them. Ruben Rodrigues, his U’s teammate, has admitted that he may overhit a pass because he knows Murphy would catch it.
“Murphy enjoys skinning his marker and playing balls across the six-yard line, which presents significant problems. In terms of areas for improvement, his shooting outside the box can be wayward at times, but only if we’re being overly harsh.”
How likely is he to sign a new contract with the club?
LR: “In an interview on the pitch after the U’s secured their play-off berth, he stated that he would want to stay with the club. He appears to have settled locally and is thoroughly enjoying his football. That hasn’t always been the case here, and I believe the fact that he is settled will influence his decision. If United are promoted, I’m very convinced he’ll stay.
Do you know whether there has been any interest in him?
LR: “Aside from a few web reports, there has been no evidence of anything serious coming Murphy’s way. Transfer speculation for an in-form, out-of-contract player at this time of year is understandable.
Do you think he can make it back to the Championship?
LR: “Absolutely yes.” On present form, he is a second-tier player, and it is only a matter of how far up the ladder he can progress. He is 29 years old and will reach 30 next season, so it will be fascinating to see if Championship clubs at the high end consider him as a good investment. “You could definitely see him producing for a playoff contender.”
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply