Murphy takes pay cut to commit future to Leeds United

The former Crewe player had one year left on his previous contract, but has signed a new four-year deal and spoke about how he felt at home at Leeds.

He said: “I found out about it about a week ago. I sat down and spoke and there wasn’t really much to think about.

“I’m happy here. I’ve had ups and downs but I really started to feel at home towards the end of last season and started to feel as though I was playing my best football that I’ve played here. Hopefully that can continue.

“I can see the ambition that the club has got.

“The club belongs in the Premier League, everybody knows that. Hopefully we can get there in the near future.

“I’ve obviously had ups and downs but towards the end of last season I really started to feel at home.

“I want to repay the faith shown in me by performing on the pitch.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to do that in the next four seasons and get this club back to where it belongs in the Premier League.

“The signings that have come in already this summer have shown real intent of what we’re about and what we’re hoping to achieve in the near future.”

Murphy turned round his fortunes last season after struggling to get into the first team until a regular run followed his impressive display in the FA Cup tie at Sunderland in January.

“A lot of things go through your minds at different periods of the season,” he said.

“At Christmas, I definitely wouldn’t have thought this was going to happen.

“When I started playing, I really started to enjoy myself. It wasn’t necessarily what I thought would happen, but it was what I hoped would happen.

“It has now and I’m chuffed to bits. Hopefully I can kick on this season.”

Murphy will have to wait to make an impact in the upcoming season after picking up a knee injury that will see him miss the start of the Championship season.

“I had a little bit of an injury last week and had to have a small operation on my knee,” he explained.

“But I’ve had that and the physios and everyone here have been first-class.

“They got me straight in to see the specialist after the scan and the operation was done on the same day that I saw him. Full credit to Harvey (Sharman) and everyone working behind the scenes.”