Pundit Carlton Palmer believes Derby County would be the best fit for Josh Murphy if he decides to leave Oxford United this summer.

Murphy enjoyed an excellent season for Oxford in League One this campaign, and he scored both goals in the U’s 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers in the play-off final at Wembley on Saturday to secure promotion to the Championship.

The winger was already attracting interest prior to his performance in the final, with Southampton, West Bromwich Albion, Hull City, Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers all said to have been keeping tabs on him, and Derby County, Portsmouth, Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers have joined the race for his signature this week.

Murphy is out of contract at the Kassam Stadium this summer, but Oxford are in talks with the 29-year-old over a new deal, and head coach Des Buckingham has made it clear he would like to keep hold of him.

“I may have had a chat with him when we were up on the gantry lifting the trophy,” Buckingham told the Oxford Mail.

“We’ll do as much as we can to try and keep Josh here.

“He’s a wonderful person, a very good player, and he suits the way we want to do things.

“We’ll do as much as we can and see where that takes us.”

Carlton Palmer issues verdict on Josh Murphy’s future

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer said that Derby would be the best move for Murphy if he decides against signing a new deal at Oxford, but he believes the winger should be cautious about leaving a club where he has thrived.

“Derby, Portsmouth, QPR and West Brom have all joined the race to sign Josh Murphy,” Palmer said.

“He’s had an outstanding season for Oxford United, culminating in them being promoted to the Championship, and Josh duly obliged in the play-off final, scoring the two goals to get Oxford promoted.

“He’s out of contract, he’s 29 years old, he’s very experienced, and he’s available on a free.

“This puts him in a very, very good position in terms of getting the best contract he can, but also from Josh’s point of view, he’s got to look at where he’s going to get plenty of game time.

“He’s rediscovered his form at Oxford, he’s done really well under Des Buckingham.

“Obviously at 29, he wants to get the best deal, this is a very important contract for him, but he’s also got to think about where he’s loved and where he can play his best football, and he’s been outstanding at Oxford.

“Sometimes it’s better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know, but it’s a short career, we all know too well that when you’re finishing at 38 or 39, you can’t just live off nostalgia, so he has to get the best deal for himself.

“For me personally, Oxford have come up, but you look at the sides that are interested in Derby, Portsmouth, QPR and West Brom, they’re all going to have money to be at the top end of the table.

“Oxford are newly-promoted, and it’s going to be difficult for them next season..

“Would he be guaranteed game time at the likes of West Brom and QPR every week? Doubt it.

“I believe he would get the chance of playing week-in and week-out at Derby and Portsmouth.

“So it depends, I think Derby, if he doesn’t decide to stay at Oxford, would be the best fit for him under Paul Warne.

“But I’m sure Oxford will pull out all the stops to try and keep him at the football club.”

Josh Murphy should stay at Oxford United this summer

Murphy is facing a big decision on his future this summer.

The winger was in a difficult place in his career prior to Buckingham’s arrival at Oxford in November, but he has been outstanding in recent months, and he is understandably attracting interest from elsewhere.

The likes of QPR and West Brom may be able to offer Murphy bigger wages than Oxford, but as Palmer says, there are doubts over how much game time he would receive, and with Portsmouth and Derby both winning promotion from League One with the U’s, you have to question whether it would be a big step up to move to either of those clubs.

Murphy looks to have found the perfect home at Oxford, and while it could be a tough season for the U’s in the Championship, he should commit his future to the club.