Bayer Leverkusen and Galatasaray have joined the race to sign Jacob Murphy this summer, according to Football Insider.
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The report claims both big European teams are keen on the former Norwich youngster given he’s got just a year left on his contract and impressed during the 2020/21 season.
Indeed, they join the likes of Leeds United, Rangers and Southampton as interested parties in what looks like a big summer for the player.
How well did Murphy play in the 2020/21 season?
After spending much of his career in the proverbial footballing wilderness, Murphy has formed a huge part of the first-team under Steve Bruce.
Operating as both a right-winger and a right-back, the 26-year-old made 31 appearances across all competitions, scoring three times and registering a further four assists. In a Premier League context, he averaged 1.2 shots, 1.5 dribbles and 1.5 tackles per game (via WhoScored), making an impact in both an offensive and a defensive sense.
In fact, all of those averages see him rank within the top six of all the players under Steve Bruce’s management during the campaign just completed.
Should Newcastle sell Murphy?
A decision on his future needs to be made soon.
While his performances may make the idea of a bidding war for his services as potential free agent next summer a realistic possibility and a tempting one for the player, Newcastle cannot afford to lose him for nothing.
At this stage, money looks tight for the club and, though Murphy has proven he can be a useful member of the squad, the idea of him winding down his contract at St James’ Park looks wholly unwelcome from a financial perspective.
In an ideal world, he’d be kept on and rewarded for his outings. Still, the club just don’t look to be in a position to take that risk and have to act on an offer when they can with such little time left on his current deal.
