Town are reported to have completed the signing of Sunderland striker Daryl Murphy for £1.5 million. TWTD was first to reveal that the Blues were back in for the Republic of Ireland international a week ago.
A deal between Town and the Black Cats is now said to have been concluded, although as yet there is no confirmation from the clubs. Murphy’s former side Waterford United are believed to be receiving a 10% sell-on.
Murphy was close to joining the Blues in a joint £5 million deal involving Dean Whitehead earlier in the summer and even got as far as having a medical at Portman Road.
That move collapsed when Hull City came in for the frontman, but talks between Murphy and the Tigers broke down and he is still at the Stadium of Light. Whitehead subsequently moved to Stoke.
The 26-year-old, capped nine times by the Republic of Ireland without scoring, spent several spells on trial at Playford Road during 2004/05 before deciding to join Sunderland — who had recently been promoted to the Premier League — at the end of the season for €100,000, shortly after signing a new contract with Waterford to ensure that his hometown side received a fee.
The 6ft 3in tall frontman or left midfielder was a regular in Roy Keane’s Sunderland side.