Aston Villa have stepped up the pursuit of Daryl Murphy from Newcastle United. The striker has only one year left on his contract and has been told by the club to look for a new destination.
The 34-year-old moved to the St James Park last summer but saw his season hit by a calf injury. He started the campaign on a very promising note by scoring a brace against Barnsley but his campaign got curtailed by an injury.
Newcastle currently have a very enviable forward lineup with the likes of Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic in the side so Rafa Benitez wouldn’t mind showing him the door.
Newcastle are yet to indulge heavily in the transfer market and Benitez is furious over the lack of intent shown by the club hierarchy. Benitez will definitely bring in a striker this summer so the arrival of the front man will further decrease his chances next season.
Steve Bruce wants to grasp the opportunity with both hands as he is preparing a move for the Newcastle outcast. Villa spent nearly £70m but failed to grind out the much-desired result last season as they got stuck in the 13th position.
The ex-Manchester United player has to work with a very tight budget so a move for the Magpies striker seems logical. Villa currently have Jonathan Kodjia and Scott Hogan but Bruce wants to put up a decent fight in the next season, therefore, a striker would be needed.
Murphy has a very decent scoring record in the Championship so it could turn out to be a very important move for the Midlands club who are desperate for promotion in the next season.
In the current scenario if Murphy prefers to stay it could hurt his career heavily as in next season, he is likely to be the third or fourth choice in the rank of the forwards. Villa could offer him regular game time as Bruce has been searching a suitable partner for Jonathan Kodjia.
Sunderland are also eyeing this Championship hotshot in a bid to improve their squad depth. Currently, they are out of options after the departure of the Fabio Borini and Jermain Defoe so they might try to test Newcastle’s resolve with an offer.
It is up to Murphy to choose his preferred destination but Villa should be a preferred choice as he has a very fruitful relationship with Bruce having played for him at Sunderland.
