Newcastle United consider loan move for 19-year-old after double Premier League deal 'agreed'

Alex Murphy has been one of Newcastle United’s emerging academy stars over the past 12 months.

Following his arrival from Galway United in 2022, the 19-year-old defender has progressed with Newcastle’s Under-21s side and broken into the first-team. He regularly featured in friendly matches last summer and trained with the first team for the majority of the 2023-24 campaign, making two Premier League appearances as a substitute.

He has remained involved in the first team heading into the summer, featuring in both Newcastle matches in Australia this past week.

With Newcastle closing in on signing defensive reinforcements Tosin Adarabioyo and Lloyd Kelly as free agents this summer, Murphy’s first-team opportunities may be limited next season.

But Magpies head coach Eddie Howe will continue to give him plenty of opportunities to impress over the summer.

“My plans for him is that he continues to push and train well and push the players that are in the team,” the Newcastle boss told The Gazette. “I'm really pleased with his progress this year, I think with his training time with us, he's really improved.

“He can play left-back, centre-half, he's athletic and very composed on the ball, a really good footballer.”

Howe knows that Murphy is approaching the age where he will need regular first-team football in order to progress and even suggested a potential future loan for the youngster.

“There will come a time for Alex where we'll need to expose him to the team or maybe a loan spell but that's further on in the future,” he added. “For now, his focus should be to try and get into the team.”

And Murphy is made his target clear.

“My aim is to get into the first team and break through into the first team which I believe I can do. It’s an important off-season for me, I just need to go away, work hard and make sure I come back fitter, stronger, faster, so that’s the aim.”