Nottingham Forest are hoping to land Newcastle striker Daryl Murphy.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has told the Irish Examiner that Daryl Murphy will be allowed to leave the club this summer – and Nottingham Forest lead the race according to The Chronicle.
The Magpies swooped to sign striker Murphy from Ipswich Town last summer, having seen the Irish international hit 61 goals in 207 games for the Tractor Boys.
Newcastle United’s Daryl Murphy celebrates scoring
As a Championship veteran, Murphy was seen as another option to rival Dwight Gayle and Aleksandar Mitrovic, but he found first-team football hard to come by last season.
Murphy, 34, may have hit five league goals last season, but also started just seven Championship games, as Benitez preferred to use Gayle or Mitrovic for much of the promotion-winning campaign.
Now, Newcastle are back in the Premier League and pursuing attacking reinforcements, meaning Murphy could be on his way out of St. James’ Park.
The Chronicle tonight report that a host of Championship clubs are interested in signing Murphy this summer, with Nottingham Forest believed to be the favourites for his signature ahead of Birmingham City and Sunderland.
Forest need a new striker after selling Britt Assombalonga to Middlesbrough earlier this week, and manager Mark Warburton may choose to move for Murphy as an experience Championship goalscorer.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez
With that in mind, Newcastle boss Benitez has told the Irish Examiner that he will let Murphy leave the club on a permanent basis this summer, and he has spoken to the striker about leaving despite being a ‘positive influence’ last season.
“Murphy is different. We are talking about different things in the Premier League and we have some clubs asking about him,” said Benitez. “We have been chatting at training in recent days and he knows that if a club comes in, he will go on a permanent transfer, once the deal is best for him and us.”
“I was really pleased with his contribution last season, not just because he played games and scored goals but he led by example, both in the dressing room and training. He was a positive influence on the team,” he added.
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