When Newcastle United hired Dan Ashworth as Sporting Director, he was tasked with helping build a squad for the present and the future.

Newcastle want players who can make a difference now, while they are also on the lookout for youngsters who can grow and develop into first-team stars - and eventually save the club a fortune.

That is what the Magpies hope will happen with Alex Murphy, who moved to the North East in the summer of 2022. The 19-year-old defender joined Newcastle from Galway United, and has made a real impression since arriving on Tyneside.

Murphy arrived with a decent reputation, with hopes of going from academy player to first-team star. That journey is still ongoing, but he has made big strides over a short period of time.

The Irishman was involved with the first-team in pre-season, and was particularly impressive during a game in America against Chelsea.

He is yet to make his competitive debut for the club, but was named on the bench for Saturday's loss to Bournemouth amid Newcastle's ongoing injury crisis.

It was good to see Murphy involved with the senior squad, and he is a player who Newcastle have high hopes for behind the scenes.

Alex Murphy is similar to Newcastle star Sven Botman According to the Athletic, Newcastle believe that Murphy has similar qualities to Sven Botman.

That is high praise indeed, as Botman is arguably the best centre-back that Newcastle have got. He is certainly the future of the club, as he is still only 23.

Botman is going to be mainstay of this Newcastle team for years to come, and has the skillset to be recognised as one of the Premier League's elite defenders.

Therefore, it is very encouraging that Newcastle believe Murphy possesses some of those same skills.

It should mean in the future that the Magpies have a direct backup for Botman, rather than having to invest heavily in someone in the transfer market. Who knows, we could even see Botman play alongside Murphy in the future.

We got a glimpse of that during pre-season in a win over Fiorentina, when the duo looked very comfortable alongside each other.

Newcastle bought a player with real potential in Sven Botman, but he was also already a proven talent. As for Murphy, he was signed because of that potential, and his progression is proof that the club really is setting itself up for years of sustained success.