Norwich City have rejected an £8 million bid from Newcastle for winger Jacob Murphy, according to Sky Sources.
Another bid looks on the cards
The 22-year-old scored 10 times for the Canaries last season and impressed in the European Championships for the England U21s.
Newcastle are expected to table a second bid for Murphy with Rafa Benitez keen to strengthen his squad ahead of the new Premier League season.
United have bolstered their defensive ranks with the addition of Florian Lejeune and have made Christian Atsu’s deal permanent. However, Benitez’s frustration’s have become clear after the club missed out on key transfer targets.
Tammy Abraham and Willy Caballero were high on the priority list for Benitez although both players snubbed the north east side in favour of moves to Swansea and Chelsea.
Latest transfer target, Murphy, is attracting interest from several other Premier League clubs including Crystal Palace, Southampton, Swansea and West Bromwich Albion.
Who is Jacob Murphy?
Should the Wembley-born winger seal a move to Tyneside, it would be the first time Murphy hasn’t been on the books at Norwich.
Since signing a professional contract with Norwich in 2013, Murphy has been on loan at Swindon, Southend, Blackpool, Scunthorpe, Colchester and Coventry.
Murphy was part of the Norwich team that won the FA Youth Cup in 2012-13 and made his competitive debut for the first team in an FA Cup match against Fulham in 2014.
Prior to his move to Coventry in 2015, Murphy had only played 36 games while on loan at these clubs.
The Verdict
For a player who has struggled to make an impact at a number of clubs, £8 million is a very steep fee.
However, Newcastle do have Rafa Benitez who is a manager capable of getting the best out of many players.
The Geordies won’t be able to splash the cash in comparison to other clubs though, so signing a proven Premier League winger should be in Newcastle’s thoughts.