Crewe Alexandra: Neil Baker hopes to hold on to Luke Murphy
CREWE assistant boss Neil Baker is hoping midfielder Luke Murphy will still be an Alex player after tomorrow's transfer deadline.
The club aren't planning to bring any players in, and both Baker and manager Steve Davis will be delighted if there are no irresistible bids for 23-year-old Murphy.
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NO OFFERS: Luke Murphy has been watched by several clubs, but as yet there have been no inquiries about him.
The 6ft 2in Crewe academy graduate has been watched by a number of clubs, including Premier League Stoke City.
However, Crewe are reluctant to lose another star player having sold attacker Nick Powell to Manchester United and midfielder Ashley Westwood to Aston Villa in the last transfer window in deals worth more than £6m.
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Baker said: "There have been no definite inquiries and no offers.
"People are always speaking to Steve about our players, but I don't think anything is going to happen with Luke or anybody else."
Baker says Alex skipper Murphy has flourished with the extra responsibility after his midfield partner and former captain Westwood departed to Aston Villa in a £1.1m deal on August deadline day.
The assistant manager says Crewe need to keep their influential players for the rest of the season as they establish themselves in League One.
He added: "We need to. We lost two of our better players in Nick and Ashley at the start of the season. I know we keep going on about that, but it is fact.
"It has helped Luke in particular, he has become a better player for it.
"He is the captain of the team and he leads by example."
Murphy, who is under contract until the summer of 2014, made his 150th league appearance for the Alex in their 3-1 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Baker added: "He is still improving and one day will play at the top. Hopefully that day isn't in the next couple of days."
Meanwhile, left-back Gregor Robertson returned to training yesterday after injury.
The 29-year-old former Chesterfield defender hasn't played for the first team since New Year's Day and has been sidelined with a hip injury.
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