West Brom are on the brink of signing Jacob Murphy from Newcastle, according to Telegraph journalist John Percy.
He claims that the deal will be done before Thursday’s deadline and that it is a straight loan deal.
There will be no option to buy “at this stage” of proceedings.
West Brom are poised to complete the signing of #nufc winger Jacob Murphy before Thursday's deadline. Straight loan to end of season, no permanent option to buy at this stage #wba
— John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) January 30, 2019
Daily Mail journalist Laurie Whitwell also reported the news and said that Newcastle have agreed to let Murphy leave following their move for MLS striker Miguel Almiron.
Jacob Murphy close to #wba move after #nufc agree to let him leave following Miguel Almiron deal. Would be loan until end of season. More @MailSport
— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) January 30, 2019
OPINION
This will be a fantastic deal for West Brom. Murphy has made 13 appearances for Newcastle this season, nine in the Premier League and cost Newcastle £10million when he moved in 2017. There’s no option to buy, by the sounds of it, but Murphy will add more attacking menace to a side that lost Harvey Barnes to Leicester. The 23-year-old former England Under-21 international might not quite have the same impact as Barnes, but the West Brom fans will be delighted at his capture. He might have struggled for game-time at Newcastle in the Premier League, but he’s a proven performer in the Championship. He proved that with Norwich before sealing his £10million move to the north east. He could be a pivotal player in West Brom’s bid for automatic promotion. West Brom have also been linked with a move for Swansea’s left winger Jefferson Montero as they look like being one of the busiest clubs in the Championship in the final 36 hours of the transfer window.