Josh Murphy is a free agent who could be a fantastic addition for any Championship club, according to former England midfielder Carlton Palmer.
This follows The Sun’s story that five Championship clubs are hoping to sign Murphy in the upcoming summer.
The five teams—thought to be Southampton, West Brom, QPR, Sunderland, and Hull City—all have to contend with MLS opposition.
The 29-year-old winger’s contract with Oxford United ends at the end of the current campaign. He joined the team in 2022.
As they battle for a postseason spot, the League One team hopes to conclude the season as a Championship team themselves.
However, the club’s performance as well as Murphy’s have drawn interest from Championship teams, who may decide to move when Murphy’s contract is about to expire.
Carlton Palmer thinks Josh Murphy would be a good free transfer for any Championship club
Here, we spoke with Carlton Palmer, a former midfielder for Sheffield Wednesday, on Southampton, West Brom, QPR, Sunderland, and Hull City’s interest in signing Josh Murphy, an Oxford United winger.
Palmer is not surprised that teams are interested in Murphy, and even though he believes a move to the Premier League would be too much, he believes a Championship club would be wise to pursue him.
“Southampton, West Brom, QPR, Sunderland, and Hull City have all sent scouts to watch Oxford United’s Josh Murphy in recent weeks,” he informed FLW.
“Josh Murphy, an Oxford United player, is enjoying an incredible season. Oxford has won four of their previous five games and drawn one, placing them in the final play-off spot.
Josh has scored six goals in his last 12 games, playing a major role in that run. Having spent £11 million to join Cardiff City from Norwich City six years ago, he is an experienced player at the age of 29. But he’s back on track; he’s playing some very good football.
He has been performing well, and since his contract expires at the end of the current campaign, he will be available on a free transfer. It is therefore not surprising that these clubs are interested in signing him.
Is he at that level then? He is a gifted player who has competed at that level in the past, so if he is available for free, it is excellent business.
“We’re talking about the Premier League being a step too far, but I don’t think he’s going too far with the Championship.” Bringing him in for free at the Championship level would be a smart business decision for any Championship club, albeit it would depend on the league these clubs play in.
Josh Murphy’s 2023/24 League One stats
Josh Murphy, according to Carlton Palmer, was previously a part of a significant move from Norwich to Cardiff City after making a consistent impression with the Canaries.
His move to the Bluebirds went somewhat as planned, but he quickly lost favor, which led to a loan out before he was free to depart when his contract ran out.
After that, Murphy had to look for a new team, and he joined Oxford United, which has proven to be a good choice for his career.
| Josh Murphy’s 2023/24 League One stats for Oxford United | Total |
|---|---|
| Matches played | 25 |
| Minutes per game | 56 |
| Goals | 6 |
| Goal frequency | 233 minutes |
| Goals per game | 0.2 |
| Assists | 4 |
| Big chances created | 6 |
| Key passes | 1.0 |
| Successful dribbles | 0.9 (36%) |
| Average rating | 7.02 |
| Stats as per Sofascore.com (As it stands on the 15th of April) | |
The 29-year-old had some difficulty during the last campaign, but under the new boss, he appears to have rediscovered his form as he is scoring goals and showcasing his ingenuity.
In his 25 League One outings thus far, 15 of them have been starts, and Murphy has scored six goals. According to Sofascore.com, the former Norwich winger scores a goal every 233 minutes of football on average, and he scores a goal every 0.2 games.
In addition to his goals, Murphy has been productive creatively. In League One, he has generated six great opportunities and collected 1.0 crucial pass, which has allowed him to get four assists.
Josh Murphy transfer talk comes as a surprise
It is surprising to learn that a number of Championship teams are interested in signing Josh Murphy of Oxford United this summer.
After a few challenging seasons, the Norwich City youth alumnus had to move down a few levels to rediscover his love of the game.
Murphy moved to Oxford in 2022, and the previous season ended with him not scoring a single league goal.
The winger has been a key component of the U’s push for a top six spot, so this season has improved. Although he has shown promise, it is surprising that championship teams are interested in signing him considering how poorly he performed in his previous several seasons in that division.
The man has had a fantastic season, but the Championship connections do seem a little strange. Still, a player who is netting goals and providing assists may be a nice free agent addition for any team.
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