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Rafa Benitez wants Newcastle to increase offer and financial pressures mean club likely to sell – Report

7 years ago
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Tuesday morning sees reports of Rafa Benitez insisting that Newcastle increase their offer for Jacob Murphy.

Monday brought widespread media claims that an £8m bid had been turned down for the Norwich star who scored nine goals and got six assists, despite only starting 32 Championship games last season.

Today though The Telegraph say that after missing out on numerous other targets, the United manager is insistent that Newcastle push the Canaries to sell the 22 year old midfielder.

Little wonder that no club would consider taking the first offer they get for a player in this transfer market but Norwich City have severe financial pressures now, after getting nowhere near instant promotion last season.

A higher offer from Newcastle would surely see the Championship club have to seriously consider selling and the Telegraph say that the player has also indicated he is interested in a move to St James Park, meaning there would/could be growing pressure from Murphy if NUFC come in with another bid.

Maybe this is a potential transfer that is one which could happen, if Newcastle are prepared to push for it.

The Mag – 10 July 2017:

‘Newcastle United are reported on Monday morning to be favourites to sign Jacob Murphy.

The midfielder had his breakthrough season in 2015/16, playing his first full year of first team football when on loan at Coventry at the age of 20.

Playing alongside Adam Armstrong who scored 20 goals on loan from Newcastle, Jacob Murphy scored nine of his own as he started 29 League One matches and came off the bench 11 times.

Whilst Armstrong went out on another, this time largely disappointing, loan at Barnsley, Murphy instead returned to Norwich and starred last season.

Starting 32 Championship matches plus five as a sub, the midfielder registered an impressive nine league goals and six assists.

It was always possible that players would have caught Rafa Benitez’ eye during Newcastle’s second tier season and allegedly that is the case with Jacob Murphy.

He was arguably Norwich’s best player in the two games against Newcastle last season, scoring the first goal for the Canaries in the 2-2 draw at Carrow Road, whilst he got an assist when Cameron Jerome put Norwich 2-1 up at St James Park before then scoring himself to put the visitors 3-1 ahead with only 21 minutes left on the clock.

That game ended dramatically of course as Newcastle won 4-3, scoring only two minutes after Murphy’s goal and then two late goals in injury time.

After the match many Norwich supporters blamed Alex Neil and his substitutions/tactics, as soon as Murphy made it 3-1, he replaced him with defender Ryan Bennett in an attempt to see out the game. However, Norwich fans felt, probably rightly, that this simply invited Newcastle to attack.

The midfielder has a twin brother, Josh, who also plays for Norwich as a striker.

A two footed player, Jacob Murphy was part of the England Under 21s squad this summer, scoring the goal that put them through to the semi finals of the Under 21 Euros.

The player is being widely reported to be also chased by Southampton and Crystal Palace but with Newcastle most likely to land him and have a value of around £8m, although Norwich fans have reacted to the transfer story with claims that he is worth at least £12m in today’s market.

Since the Newcastle transfer link was published, a photo has circulated on social media which is claimed to show the two Murphy brothers as young kids in NUFC away shirts, with one set of grandparents apparently coming from the north east.’

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