Newcastle United await arrival of new signing as farewell appearance is confirmed

Alex Murphy will bid an emotional farewell to Galway United tonight ahead of his switch to Newcastle United.

The League of Ireland First Division outfit have confirmed this evening’s match against Cobh Ramblers (kick-off 7:45pm) is Murphy’s final appearance.

The Magpies agreed to sign the highly-rated 18-year-old at the end of May but allowed him to remain with Galway until July.

Despite his tender age, Murphy has gained important senior experience with John Caulfield’s side, missing just one of their 23 games this season.

Galway supporters are being encouraged to attend the game and say goodbye to one of the club’s best academy prospects.

Murphy joined Galway aged 14 from Corrib Celtic before making his senior debut as a 16-year-old in June last year.

The defender has also captained the Republic of Ireland at under-18s level and was a standby for the under-21s squad late last year.

When Murphy arrives on Tyneside, which is likely to be next week, he’ll link up with Elliott Dickman’s under-23s squad.

Newcastle United academy Steve Harper described Murphy’s capture as a “real coup”, having attracted interest from the likes of Celtic, Brighton and Torino

Harper said: “He is a very promising young player who has attracted a lot of attention from clubs. It is a real coup for our academy and is a testament to the direction the club is going in under our owners.

“I would like to thank everyone involved with Galway United for their assistance. The club has been a pleasure to deal with and I wish John Caulfield and his players the very best of luck for the rest of the season.”