Josh Murphy addresses his Portsmouth future after dazzling Fratton Park season
The popular winger has enjoyed a dazzling maiden Blues campaign, establishing him as an instrumental figure on their Championship survival with seven goals and 14 assists.
His outstanding form has been recognised by supporters, with the 30-year-old receiving 10 Player of the Season awards, including The News/Sports Mail honour.
Inevitably there are concerns Murphy’s eye-catching displays could attract interest from other clubs during the summer, albeit he is contracted until the summer of 2027.
After some lean times in football, however, Murphy is flourishing after settling on the south coast – and he is adamant that stability is bringing the best out of him.
After some lean times in football, however, Murphy is flourishing after settling on the south coast – and he is adamant that stability is bringing the best out of him.
He told The News: ‘I am happy here, I am settled here, there’s a lot going on and the club is building to push for the Premier League – and that aligns with what I want to do.
‘I am happy here and I want to keep playing at Fratton Park because this place is pretty special. It has been great all season, who wouldn’t want to be playing here?
‘Being settled here brings the best out of me. I am settled here, the family love it down here, I have a manager who believes in me and backs me and the club is going in the right direction.
‘With my performances, this is the base I want to work off going into next season and I believe I can still get better, I believe I can get more goals and assists, so hopefully this is just the bench mark for the future.’
Murphy pinpoints his favourite Pompey game
Reflecting on a season in which the Blues avoided relegation with two matches to spare, Murphy has his favourite games.
Rather surprisingly, though, it wasn’t the 1-0 victory over Leeds in March, which shocked the Championship and, no doubt, the home audience for the televised fixture.
Murphy is ‘trying to hit his heights’ – Mousinho
John Mousinho has praised Pompey wide-man Josh Murphy who he says is striving to live up to his potential.
Murphy, who turned 30 last month, was nominated for February’s Championship player of the month award after scoring one goal and assisting four more in a month which saw the Blues take 10 points from five tough Championship fixtures.
A former England under-20 international, Murphy came through the ranks at Norwich City and played in the Premier League for the Canaries and later Cardiff, but after a loan spell at Preston, dropped down to League One for the first time in his career to join Oxford United in 2022.
Pompey boss Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent the recognition was: “Down to Josh himself and how well he’s turned around that period of his career where he didn’t have as much success as he’d have liked.
“He really knuckled down, by the time Oxford signed him it was later in pre-season, he was on a free, there was nobody that really fancied him, so it was completely down to what Josh did in that two-years to put himself in the shop window and have a fantastic back end of last season.”
Murphy moved to Fratton Park on a free transfer after the U’s joined Pompey in earning promotion last season. He ranks joint-third overall in the Championship for assists with nine, along with his six goals in 31 appearances.
“The most pleasing thing for me is that Josh didn’t just produce what he did from February onwards for Oxford and then get a contract here and rest up,” Mousinho added.
“It’s really fuelled him to go again and to make sure he hits the heights he can hit.
“Fair play to him, he’s physically in probably the best shape of his career and it’s all paying off for him at the moment, so I’m really pleased for him.”
