Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United squad is looking worryingly thin as we approach the business end of the 2024/25 season.
It has been a disastrous few weeks for Newcastle United with Anthony Gordon suspended and a flurry of unfortunate injuries.
The Carabao Cup final is just around the corner and yet Eddie Howe will be without some of his best players with Sven Botman suffering a setback and Lewis Hall injuring his ankle.
Not only is silverware up for grabs, but Newcastle are chasing Champions League qualification, but Howe is quickly running out of options.
Newcastle will spend big in the summer transfer window to improve the squad and there is also one loan star who has been thriving and will be pushing for a first-team spot next season.
Photo by James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by James Baylis – AMA/Getty Images
Newcastle United loanee Alex Murphy has been ‘brilliant’
Paul Mitchell has been scouting Ireland for upcoming young talent, but before his arrival as sporting director, Newcastle signed Alex Murphy from Galway United in 2022.
At just 18 years old, Murphy trained with the Newcastle first-team and eventually made his Premier League debut against Chelsea in November 2023.
Over the January window, Murphy joined Bolton Wanderers on loan, joining a list of eight Newcastle players out on loan this season.
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Bolton fans have raved about Murphy after his strong start with the League One club, and manager Steven Schumacher has now added to that praise.
Bolton beat Burton Albion 2-1 on Saturday and Murphy starred at left-back before adapting to a left-sided centre-back role.
As quoted by Bolton News, Schumacher said: “Alex stepped in and I thought he was brilliant. It was his best game for Bolton, definitely.
“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
After Lloyd Kelly joined Juventus in January, Newcastle’s centre-back department is in desperate need of attention.
Botman continues to suffer with injuries, meaning there has been huge pressure on Fabian Schar and Dan Burn this season.
Occasionally this season, Howe has tried a three-at-the-back, and it seems that is a formation that particularly suits Murphy and his skillset.
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The now 20-year-old defender is capable of playing at left-back or as centre-back, and he is quickly becoming a key player for Bolton this season.
If he can continue this form until the end of the season, Murphy is a player that Howe will seriously have to consider for a first-team slot next season.