Jacob Murphy has endured a difficult time since arriving at Newcastle United in the summer.
Brooks is one of the brightest prospects coming through in the Championship currently, helping the Blades put themselves amongst the division’s early pace-setters months after inspiring England’s under-20s to Toulon Tournament glory – with the 20-year-old being named as the competition’s best player.
Unsurprisingly, Brooks is attracting plenty of attention, with the Daily Mirror reporting that Newcastle are competing with West Ham, Liverpool and Arsenal in the race, and that the Reds are plotting a £10 million bid.
With so many teams chasing his signature, Rafa Benitez may be hoping that the project at St James’ Park appeals to Brooks – who has only just signed a new deal at Bramall Lane (via BBC Sport) – but perhaps it would be fair to suggest that the struggles that one of the Magpies’ summer signings has endured since arriving may not help their cause.
Jacob Murphy was brought in during the previous window for a fee which Sky Sports reports could rise to £12 million, but he is so far yet to show that that fee could prove to be a bargain – because he simply has not been given the chance.
Murphy has made four Premier League appearances to date, but has started just once and has cumulatively been on the pitch for less than 90 minutes.
The 22-year-old may prove to be a brilliant signing once he is given a chance to show why Newcastle signed him in the first place, but the early signs appear to be troubling.
And if the situation has not changed in the near future, Brooks may look at Murphy’s struggles after a big-money move from a Championship side and wonder whether making a similar switch is the best move for his career, especially when he appears to now be so integral to the Blades’ long-term future as things stand.
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