NEWCASTLE will open talks with Jacob Murphy over a new deal — as Burnley and Watford lead the race to sign him.

Murphy, 26, is entering the last year of his contract and Toon chiefs want to tie him down given his impressive recent form.

They will look to do so once their Premier League status is confirmed.

That now appears a formality with Steve Bruce's side sitting nine points above 18th-placed Fulham with five games remaining.

However, newly-promoted Watford are still set to test their mattle with a £6million for the winger this summer.

While Burnley, Southampton and Rangers have all declared an interest too.

Murphy, a boyhood Magpies fan, has played a key role as Newcastle edge towards safety.

A £12m signing from Norwich in 2017, he has excelled at wing-back in recent weeks having been on the periphery previously under Bruce.

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And he weighed in with a crucial equaliser in the come-from-behind victory over the Clarets earlier this month.

Dwight Gayle has already been offered a new deal beyond this summer.

But fellow out-of-contract striker Andy Carroll is yet to be handed an extension.

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