It's time to admit it. Call off the search. Hands up, I'm as guilty as anyong for insisting Newcastle United must sign a top-class right winger. We said it last summer, this month and we're already looking at who they will sign in that position in the summer.

But the truth is, it's been apparent for some time now that maybe, just maybe, they already have a top class Premier League player in that position. It's simply too hard to ignore Jacob Murphy's contribution to this remarkable United side.

Perhaps it's because we've seen him flatter to deceive for a few too many seasons, but you just cannot overlook what he's doing right now. The standout stat says it all. No two players in the Premier League have combined for more goals that Murphy and Alexander Isak so far this season, with his assist for the Swede's second goal at Southampton the seventh time the duo have linked up to produce a positive outcome.

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Murphy now has eight assists for the season along with three goals to his name, making him one of United's key players going forwards. If Bryan Mbeumo, Antoine Semenyo and Anthony Elanga are worth £50m+ - and some estimates have been way higher - than just how much is Murphy worth now?

He has fully bought in to Eddie Howe's ethos and work ethic, and it has elevated him from useful squad player to a first-team regular. We shouldn't be too surprised I suppose - we've seen what Howe and his coaching staff have done for Joelinton and Fabian Schar, two players of an era best forgotten now playing a huge part in an exciting future.

We're still witnessing the rapid development of Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento under the scrutiny of the United coaches, and how Anthony Gordon has fulfilled his potential, so why should we be surprised by Murphy's emergence?

If only he had blossomed five years ago. This is a player Rafa Benitez signed, remember. Murphy will turn 30 in February - hardly time to be put out to pasture, but both the player and the club will know time is against him. In the short-term, however, that's not a concern.

In these days of PSR and FFP restrictions, United must make tough decisions on where to spend their money. Yes, there are younger and exciting options out there for the right flank, but Murphy's form and - crucially - consistency suggest they could be wiser investing elsewhere.

It feels a far cry from that missed chance at Vicarage Road in a 1-1 draw at Watford just before the takeover was completed. One-on-one with Ben Foster, Murphy fired tamely at the Hornets keeper in the dying stages. If that was the nadir of his time at Newcastle then this is very much the apex. And it could yet have a huge impact on United's summer transfer plans.