Murphy’s loan spell finishes at North End

CARDIFF City winger Josh Murphy’s miserable season has gone from bad to worse after his loan club Preston North End excluded him from their squad with immediate effect.

The 27-year-old’s campaign started with Mick McCarthy sanctioning a loan move to the Deepdale club, who were managed at the time by Murphy’s former coach at Norwich City, Frankie McAvoy.

But the player’s season has lurched from one disappointment to the next, with lack of gametime and injuries blighting his stint with the Lancashire outfit.

And now, according to our sister title LancsLive, Murphy, along with Izzy Brown, has been released from the club with immediate effect. The publication adds that “punctuality is a factor behind their early exits, with attitude having not impressed either”.

It has been a torrid season for the winger, who didn’t start a single game the entire season and made only 12 substitute appearances in the league, all from the bench. He failed to register a single assist or goal during his time with the Lilywhites.

Neither player is training with Ryan Lowe’s first team and it looks, to all intents and purposes, like their seasons have ended and they will have to look for new clubs.

Murphy’s contract at Cardiff is up in June and the club will not be taking up the option to offer the player fresh terms.

Having signed for £11m from Norwich in 2018, the forward’s time at the club will be viewed as a disappointment. He scored 14 goals and provided 10 assists in 99 appearances for the Bluebirds.

Uganda want Uche Ikpeazu to pledge his allegiance to the country but the Cardiff City striker has requested more time.

Ugandan coach Micho Sredojevic has revealed he wants the 27-year-old to make a decision on his international future and has made contact with him regarding his next steps.

“I’m telling you I have tried my best to convince him, including speaking to his mother when she has come here to help us talk to the boy but all has failed,” Sredojevic told the Daily Monitor. “I will approach him again. I will never give up on something that could be of our national interest.

“He is on loan, he can’t consolidate his place as coaches don’t see his top class more often. Uganda is his medicine to get total confidence. Once he serves Uganda well and gets more confidence, more doors to better clubs open.

“I hope he will find a place and logic in his heart and soul, and understanding in his mind that Uganda is his biggest chance, and equally that he is Uganda’s biggest chance. It’s win-win situation.”