In a recent report, Correio da Manhã has stated that Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy is on FC Porto’s radar this summer. It is believed that the Portuguese giants are hoping to bring the Magpies wide player to Portugal as a replacement for Otavio in this off-season (via Correio da Manhã).
Murphy’s Decent Season At Tyneside
Murphy enjoyed an impressive season with the Tyneside outfit after producing some eye-catching performances for them down the right-wing. The 26-year-old registered three goals and four assists in 31 appearances for the Magpies in the previous campaign in multiple competitions.
The London-born talent caught the eye by averaging 1.5 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 0.9 clearances, 1.2 shots, 0.7 key passes, 0.6 crosses and 1.5 dribbles per game in Premier League football. However, he needs to work on improving his ball distribution as he only completed 70.5% of his attempted passes in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Murphy has shown some promising signs over the past 12 months but his current contract with Newcastle is set to expire at the end of next season. Sky Sports recently reported that the Magpies are expected to hold talks with the player over a new deal so that they can keep him at St. James’ Park for the long run.
Should Newcastle Let Murphy Leave This Summer?
Murphy has decent pace in his locker and can make some quick sprints down the right flank. He can get stuck in with a few tackles to disrupt the opposition’s rhythm in the game and can also pull off a few important clearances when defending inside his half. The English sensation can get to the byline to whip in some dangerous crosses into the opponent’s penalty area. However, he needs to find some consistency at the highest level if he intends to become a world-class player in his position someday.
At 26, Murphy is currently entering the peak years of his playing career, so Newcastle should consider tieing him down to a new deal so that they can fend off interest from FC Porto this summer. Bruce is experienced enough to get the best out of the English talent over the next few years.
All in all, Newcastle would be wise to keep hold of Murphy beyond this summer as he could still grow into a top performer for them in the coming seasons. His pace and versatility to play in either flank make him a good utility player in Bruce’s matchday squad.
