"No surprise" - Pundit reacts to Southampton, West Brom, QPR and Sunderland transfer battle | OneFootball

Former England midfielder Carlton Palmer believes Josh Murphy would be good business for any Championship club looking to sign him on a free transfer.

This comes after it was reported by The Sun that five Championship clubs are looking to sign Murphy this summer.

The five clubs are believed to be Southampton, West Brom, QPR, Sunderland, and Hull City, but they all face competition from teams in the MLS.

The 29-year-old joined Oxford United in 2022, and the winger’s current deal with the club expires at the end of the season.

The League One side is hoping to be a Championship team themselves come the end of the season as they compete for a place in the play-offs.

But the club’s form and Murphy’s form have caught the attention of teams from the Championship, who could be set to make a move as his contract nears its end.

Carlton Palmer thinks Josh Murphy would be a good free transfer for any Championship club

Here, we asked former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer for his thoughts on Southampton, West Brom, QPR, Sunderland, and Hull City all being interested in signing Oxford United winger Josh Murphy.

It doesn’t surprise Palmer that clubs are looking at Murphy, and while he thinks the Premier League would be a step too far, he thinks he would be good business for any Championship club interested.

He told FLW: “Southampton, West Brom, QPR, Sunderland, and Hull City have all sent scouts in recent weeks to watch Oxford United’s Josh Murphy.

“Josh Murphy, who is playing for Oxford United, is having a fantastic season. Oxford sit in the final play-off place and are on an unbelievable run, with four wins and one draw in their last five games.

“Josh has been very instrumental in that run, scoring six goals in his last 12 games. He is 29, so he is an experienced player, and he joined Cardiff City from Norwich City for £11 million six years ago. But he has rediscovered his form; he is playing some excellent football.

“Listen, it is no surprise that these clubs are looking at him; he has been playing well, and he is out of contract at the end of the season, so he will be available on a free transfer.

“So, is he at that level? Well, he has played at that level before, and he is a talented player, and if he is available on a free, then it represents good business.

“I mean, the Premier League, we are talking a step too far, but the Championship, I don’t think, is a step too far for him. It just depends on what league these clubs are in, but if he is available on a free at Championship level, that would be good business for any Championship club bringing him in on a free.”

Josh Murphy’s 2023/24 League One stats

As Carlton Palmer states, Josh Murphy was once involved in a big transfer from Norwich to Cardiff City after impressing on a regular basis with the Canaries.

The move to join the Bluebirds started off okay, but he soon fell out of favour, and that resulted in him being sent out on loan before being allowed to leave when his contract expired.

Murphy then had to search for a new club, and he joined Oxford United, where it has turned out to be a decent move for his career.

The 29-year-old struggled at times last season, but under the new manager, he now seems to have found his groove once again, as he bangs in the goals and is showing his creativity.

So far, Murphy has six goals in 25 League One appearances, 15 of which have come as starts. The former Norwich winger is averaging a goal every 233 minutes of football, and a goal comes 0.2 times per game, per Sofascore.com.

As well as the goals, Murphy has produced on the creative side, as he’s created six big chances in League One, as well as collecting 1.0 key passes, which has helped him grab four assists.

Josh Murphy transfer talk comes as a surprise

The news emerging that several Championship clubs are looking to sign Oxford United’s Josh Murphy this summer does come as a surprise.

The Norwich City academy graduate has had to drop down a few divisions to find his love for football once again after a few difficult campaigns.

Murphy joined Oxford in 2022, and last season he finished the season without scoring a single goal in the league.

This campaign has improved, as the winger has been an important part of the U’s competing for a place in the top six. But, while he has impressed, it seems a surprise that Championship teams are looking to sign him, given that he didn’t do all that well in his last few seasons in that division.

It has been an excellent season for the player, but the Championship links do seem a little odd, but someone who is scoring goals and chipping in with assists could be a good pick-up for any side on a free transfer.