Manager praises ‘outstanding’ Newcastle United loanee; he is just what Eddie Howe needs.
The Carabao Cup final is right around the corner, but Eddie Howe will be missing three of his top players after Sven Botman had a setback and Lewis Hall injured his ankle.
Not only is silverware on the line, but Newcastle is also chasing Champions League qualification, and Howe is swiftly running out of alternatives.
Newcastle will spend heavily in the summer transfer market to upgrade the squad, and there is one loan player who has thrived and will compete for a first-team berth next season.
Newcastle United loanee Alex Murphy has been ‘brilliant’
Paul Mitchell has been scouting Ireland for promising young talent, but Newcastle signed Alex Murphy from Galway United in 2022 before Mitchell took over as sporting director.
Murphy began training with Newcastle’s first squad at the age of 18 and made his Premier League debut against Chelsea in November 2023.
Murphy joined Bolton Wanderers on loan during the January transfer window, joining a list of eight Newcastle players on loan this season.
Murphy has received glowing reviews from Bolton supporters following his good start with the League One team, and manager Steven Schumacher has now added to that praise.
On Saturday, Bolton defeated Burton Albion 2-1, and Murphy started at left-back before moving to left-sided centre-back.
As reported by Bolton News, Schumacher stated, “Alex stepped in and I felt he was outstanding. It was undoubtedly his best performance for Bolton.
“He had done the match prep but not the 11 v 11 stuff yet in training, but I thought he was great. Sometimes in games since we have been here it has maybe taken him 10-15 minutes to get going and get up to the speed of the game.
“That can sometimes be the case with young players who have come out of academy football. But he was brilliant, he slotted into that left-hand side centre-back role, which was perfect for him because he is a bombing, running-forward, full-back really.
“So, for him to play that role and nail down the tactics of what we wanted, it actually suited him, and he was excellent.”
Alex Murphy could suit Eddie Howe’s Newcastle plans
Newcastle’s centre-back department is in serious need of repair since Lloyd Kelly joined Juventus in January.
Botman continues to suffer from injuries, putting a lot of burden on Fabian Schar and Dan Burn this season.
Howe has tried a three-at-the-back formation on occasion this season, and it appears that it suits Murphy and his skill set particularly well.
The now-20-year-old defender can play either left-back or centre-back and is quickly emerging as a vital player for Bolton this season.
If he can maintain this form until the end of the season, Murphy is a player Howe should seriously consider for a first-team spot next season.
