Championship clubs are releasing their retained lists following the 2023/24 season. Oxford United are currently in talks to extend Josh Murphy’s contract amid reported interest from several Championship clubs.
The 29-year-old winger scored twice in Oxford’s 2-0 victory over Bolton in the League One play-off final at Wembley, bringing his season total to 10 goals across all competitions. Despite his impressive performance, Murphy’s contract is set to expire this summer, with Sunderland, Southampton, West Brom, and Hull all reportedly interested in him.
Oxford has released their retained list after their play-off triumph, stating that they are in discussions to extend the contracts of Josh Murphy, Joe Bennett, and Josh McEachran.
When asked about Murphy’s future after the win over Bolton, Oxford manager Des Buckingham said, “I may have had a chat with him when we were up on the gantry lifting the trophy. We’ll do as much as we can to try and keep Josh here. He’s a wonderful person, a very good player, and he suits the way we want to do things. We’ll do as much as we can and see where that takes us.”
Murphy, who signed a two-year contract with Oxford in 2022, nearly left after a challenging first season at the Kassam Stadium. However, he has thrived since Buckingham’s appointment in November, starting 18 consecutive League One matches, including the play-offs.
After the play-off final, Murphy, who previously cost Cardiff a reported £11 million in 2018, commented on his future: “I want to play as high as I can. I think I owe it to myself, to my family, and to the club. We’re in the Championship now, so let’s see what happens. I just want to take my mind off everything. It’s been a long season, a tough season, and I just want to enjoy myself.”
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