'Contact made' - £12m Newcastle United star urged to make major U-turn as international call-up mooted
Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy has been targeted for an international call-up.
Murphy’s fine form for Newcastle this season has seen him contribute with five goals and a club-high nine assists. While talk of a potential England call-up has emerged in recent months, another nation are trying to entice Murphy to switch his international allegiance.
Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle has reportedly been in contact to gauge Murphy’s interest in a potential call-up. There is also a growing media campaign in Nigeria for Murphy - who is eligible to represent the nation through his father - to declare for the African nation ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Ultimately, Nigeria need all the help they can get in order to turn their World Cup qualifying campaign around. Three draws and a defeat from their opening four qualifying matches leave their chances of qualification in a perilous position.
Though with six matches remaining, there is still plenty of opportunity to turn things around. Nigeria already have several international with England connections in their ranks.
Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Semi Ajayi and Joe Aribo are all full Nigerian internationals having been brought up in England.
Murphy, who turns 30 next week, has been capped by England up to Under-21s level but remains uncapped in senior international football. Nigeria will offer him an opportunity to make his international debut along with having an outside chance of playing at the 2026 World Cup
In addition to Nigeria and England, Murphy is also eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland through his mother.
Murphy joined Newcastle from Norwich City for £12million in 2017 and has since gone on to make over 200 appearances for the club, scoring 17 goals.
Eddie Howe praises Jacob Murphy’s impact at Newcastle United
Murphy has been in and around the Newcastle squad since Eddie Howe was appointed head coach back in 2021. Prior to an injury last season he was the most frequently used player by Howe - though many of his appearances came off the bench.
But this season he has established himself as a key player in Newcastle’s starting line-up. In a position that is regularly highlighted as one that needs strengthening, Murphy has proved to be a regular source of goals and assists for Newcastle from the right wing in recent months.
His partnership with Alexander Isak has also been a particular source of goals for The Magpies this season.
“He's been very, very important and probably more than people realise because we ask a lot of Jacob in lots of different ways, he plays an important role,” Howe said. “Of course, everyone plays an important role in our pressing with the ball.
“He's been brilliant and the assists and the goals that he's got in the last few weeks, Alex [Isak] probably owes him the majority of his goals with his crossing ability which has always been very strong.
“But also defensively, we use him in a variety of ways. He's a very versatile player and with Jacob he's always very team-oriented. He doesn't the credit he perhaps deserves so it's nice to see that he's getting the assists to bring his performances to everyone's attention.”