Former Town striker Daryl Murphy has confirmed he is likely to leave Newcastle United this summer and TWTD understands recently-relegated Middlesbrough are keen to sign the 34-year-old Republic of Ireland international on a season-long loan.
Murphy, who came on as a sub for Ireland as they drew 1-1 with Austria in Dublin yesterday, says Rafa Benitez has told him he can move on.
"I spoke to him last week about my future and he thanked me for what I had done and said they were going to listen to a few offers. I said, ‘That’s fine’,” the Waterford-born frontman said.
"I always knew I had been brought in there to do a specific job, to help the club to get promoted. I had no illusions that I was going to be starting for Newcastle in the Premier League if we got up.
"Last season was good, though. Rafa managed everything very well. We had a lot of big name players and maybe if it had been another manager he wouldn’t have got the best out of them as there would have been players sulking.
"But he used every player in the squad at the right time so everybody was fighting for a place. When the other strikers got injured, I knew I had to produce the goods for him, and I did, getting three goals in three games.
"I scored six times and felt I deserved my medal whereas before, when I was at Celtic, we won the Cup but I barely featured and didn’t take a medal then because I had not earned it. This time I played my part and I have Rafa to thank for that.”
Town are unlikely to be in the running to re-sign Murphy, who left Portman Road for a fee of £3 million in August, with wages almost certainly ruling out a fifth spell at Portman Road even if manager Mick McCarthy was keen to be reunited with the striker he initially signed when Sunderland boss.
However, Boro could well face opposition from other Championship clubs with bigger budgets.