Cardiff City have no intention of recalling Josh Murphy from his loan spell at Championship rivals Preston North End, per Wales Online.

Murphy was a summer transfer deadline day recruit for the Lilywhites on a deal until the end of the 2021-22 campaign, linking up then with Frankie McAvoy who was head coach at the time at Deepdale and who also coached Murphy at Norwich City.

The 26-year-old has struggled for game-time though at the Lancashire side, making just seven appearances with all of those coming from the bench.

Murphy has not been in action since October after suffering an ankle injury, and since recovering from that a calf problem has seen him forced onto the sidelines once again and he will not be seen this month.

With his parent club recalling both Ryan Wintle and Max Watters from their loan spells at Blackpool and MK Dons respectively, there was a potential chance that Murphy could also head back to the Cardiff City Stadium to bolster Steve Morison's squad.

However due to the fact that North End are paying a large part of Murphy's wages this season, they have no plans to take him back for the remainder of the campaign and he will stay in Lancashire until May.

The Verdict

This is hardly a surprising development considering Murphy's lack of game-time at Deepdale.

It would make no sense for Cardiff to recall him and then pay his wages if he's not going to play - Steve Morison looks more likely to utilise the academy graduates at the Bluebirds instead.

Murphy represents the crop of players that came in during the 2018-19 Premier League season and because of that he will still be on a hefty wage - as you'd expect for someone that cost an £11 million transfer fee.

At the end of this season though Cardiff will no longer have to pay his salary as the winger will be a free agent, but he's not done anything at North End so far to play his way into a permanent contract at Deepdale.