Former Oxford United winger Josh Murphy has secured a move to Championship side Portsmouth, ending a productive two-year spell that culminated in a playoff victory over Bolton at Wembley Stadium.
The former Norwich City player has been a Championship stalwart throughout his career and will cross the 200-appearance mark next season after failing to agree a new contract with The U’s after helping them seal a return to the second-tier for the first time since 1999.
John Mousinho Building Portsmouth Squad to Compete in the Second Tier
It has been 12 years since Portsmouth played in the Championship but 38-year-old Mousinho has installed a winning mentality, winning 42 of his 76 matches in charge since being appointed in January 2023.
His contemporary playing style involves attacking, front-foot football, dominating possession, and inviting press from the opposition in a similar vein to Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton.
Murphy put in a career-defining performance to score a brace in the 2-0 play-off final win over Bolton and that rounded off an overall impressive season for Oxford’s number 23.
He ranked fourth for all League One wide players with more than 15 appearances for shots per game, joint-third for goals per game and in the top ten for successful dribbles and just outside the top ten for key passes and assists under the same metric.
Portsmouth have pulled off a coup by securing Murphy on a free transfer with the player arguably coming into the peak of his career after two seasons and 35 appearances across a season with Oxford in League One and a spell with Preston in the Championship/
Premier League Return Behind Thinking for Move?
Pompey have confirmed the player’s signature, and beaten off competition from Derby County and Blackburn Rovers per Football Insider for the former Cardiff City player.
During his spell with the Bluebirds, Murphy played 29 times in the Premier League in the 2018/19 season, scoring three times and contributing two assists as the club were narrowly relegated on 34 points, two points behind Brighton despite winning at Old Trafford on the final day.
After a period of rebuilding his career in League One, Murphy has proved that he is ready for the step-up and his direct style of play will be a good fit for his new club.
It is unclear if he will be a regular but he is an excellent addition on a free transfer and it is a smart piece of business completed early by an ambitious young manager and a club on the right path.
Cardiff splashed out a rumoured £11 million to secure the winger’s services from Norwich City after he scored seven goals in the 2017/18 Championship season.
Murphy will be aiming for another shot at the top flight and with his form in helping Oxford secure a place in the second tier since 1999. It would appear the move to Portsmouth will give him a better shot as the club appears to have the foundations to compete at the top end of the Championship.
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