Speaking to Swansea Bay News on behalf of Premier League betting odds site BetWright, Murphy thinks the Championship’s top scorer will have Premier League admirers if the Swans fail to make the play-offs come May.
“It’s no mean achievement to be top of the goal scoring charts in the Championship, especially in a side that is not in the top placings,” said the former Liverpool midfielder.
“He looks physically really strong; he’s a big lad. He looks hungry like someone trying to prove a point.
“One of the things I like about him is a lot of his goals come from either foot. He’s predominately right footed but has a hell of a ding on him with his left.
“I think physically, if you’re looking at the Premier League, you would think that it wouldn’t be too much for him.”
11th-placed Swansea resume league action this afternoon against top of the table Coventry City at the Swansea.com Stadium, fresh from news that the Slovenian striker has put pen to paper on a fresh four-year deal at the club. A move that is likely to put the Welsh club in a stronger position when it comes to any future transfer negotiations.
Vipotnik’s new deal is a result of the 24-year-old’s fine form this season, in which has seen the Swans striker net 17 goals in 36 league appearances to give his side an outside chance of a late play-off push.
“There will be people watching him for sure,” continued Murphy.
“We have seen it before where players jump up and struggle a bit because of the quality of defenders and everything else, but I think that element, he would be fine with it.
“I think he is somebody who, if you don’t have a good finish and get in the play-offs, will attract clubs from the Premier League.
The Slovenian has particularly flourished under Portuguese head coach Vitor Matos, whom Murphy rates highly for the work done at his former club.
“Swansea, since the new manager has come in, have had a major upturn which I think he deserves great credit for.
“It doesn’t always happen quickly when a new manager comes in, it takes time. Swansea were struggling and normally there is a pragmatism that comes with a change.
“You have to get defensively right, let’s not worry about scoring goals, let’s nick a few results.
“Swansea certainly didn’t do that; they seemed to have collectively get better at both ends of the pitch and that’s not an easy thing to do. The set plays output has increased as well.
“When he worked at Liverpool, he was part of developing players and working with the younger lads a bit, but to do it as a collective and to get your message across to a group he deserves great credit for.
“He’s worked with great people, and like any intelligent young coach, he’s taken a lot on board and has seemed to be able to implement it.
“He has done a brilliant job, and as a club you must be excited at what is going on with Snoop Dogg getting in there around the stadium and getting everyone going.
“Swansea has a great chance of getting themselves up there in and around the play-offs. It would be a remarkable achievement to do that from where they were when he took over.”
[Lead image: Swansea City FC]
