Sunderland are among the clubs linked with a move for the Hartlepool-developed youngster.
His suitors are said include Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Leeds United (Teamtalk), but it is Sunderland who may hold a trump card in the hunt for Luca Murphy’s signature.
Murphy is also listed as a Sunderland target, having reportedly left Hartlepool United by mutual consent.
The 17-year-old centre-back impressed in Pools’ youth ranks, but despite having made it to the subs’ bench on two occasions he failed to make a first-team breakthrough at Victoria Park.
That is now likely to happen elsewhere and, if Murphy’s Twitter activity is anything to go by, it could be at Sunderland.
Of all the clubs credited with interest in Murphy, the Mackems are the only ones followed by the north east native, who’d been at Hartlepool since the age of eight.
And a scroll through the player’s likes reveals several posts related to the Wearside club – for whom he appears to have, at the very least, a soft spot.
And while the likes of United, Tottenham, Newcastle and (potentially) Leeds could offer the quickest route to Premier League football, Murphy’s career may be better served lower down the ladder.
Sunderland, it seems, would have little persuading to do.
United, Tottenham, Newcastle, Leeds or Sunderland – given a choice, which club should Murphy pick?
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