‘Impressive’ Newcastle player spotted back in training after injury amid speculation he could leave

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Newcastle United are preparing to face Bournemouth on Sunday, but will be without Fabian Schar for the trip to the south coast.

That is because the 32-year-old is suspended, having been sent off in Newcastle United’s 1-0 win over Southampton.

Mike Dean said Fabian Schar’s red card was soft, after Southampton attacker Ben Brereton Diaz flung himself to the ground following a head-to-head coming together with the Swiss centre-back.

Both players probably should have been sent off, but only Schar saw red. Alan Shearer said Brereton Diaz’s actions were ‘pathetic’, and they have resulted in Schar getting a three-match ban.

That leaves Newcastle light at the back, with Emil Krath looking set to fill in and start alongside Dan Burn after impressing off the bench against the Saints.

Newcastle receive injury boost

But while Schar is suspended, one of Newcastle’s injured defenders appears to be back to fitness. Sadly, it is not Sven Botman or Jamaal Lascelles, who could be out of action for the rest of 2024 after suffering serious knee injuries.

Instead, it is Alex Murphy who has returned to training.

The Newcastle United defender did not feature in any of the Magpies’ pre-season games, having sustained a hip problem before the club jetted off to Japan. That was a shame for him, as it meant he missed out on the chance to feature for the first-team after making his Premier League debut last season.

Now the new season has officially started, and it looks like the 20-year-old is back to full fitness.

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie shared a video of Newcastle training on Tuesday on his official YouTube channel, and Murphy can be seen taking part alongside the rest of Eddie Howe’s senior players.

Return to fitness could lead to Murphy leaving Newcastle on loan

Murphy’s return to training is a timely one, with the transfer window set to close on August 30th.

It was reported earlier this year that Newcastle could loan Murphy out for the 2024/25 season, but a deal is yet to materialise.

Newcastle have received interest in Murphy from Portsmouth, while other Championship clubs are keen. That could give the Irish defender a great opportunity to gain some senior experience, as minutes will likely be hard to come by.

However, he is certainly highly rated on Tyneside, given how involved he has been with the first-team since joining the club in 2022.

Eddie Howe called Murphy ‘impressive’ earlier this year after seeing him train with Newcastle’s senior stars, and the hope will be that he develops into a senior star himself.

But that will take time, and a good step towards achieving that goal is a loan move away from St James’ Park.