Rangers winger Jamie Murphy has revealed he and manager Steven Gerrard were in mutual agreement for him to go out on loan in January, stressing the pair knew game time was key.

Murphy moved to English League One side Burton Albion on loan in January and has proved to be an influential player for the Brewers as he bagged seven goals and two assists in ten appearances for the club prior to the campaign being suspended.  

 



The Gers player explained his decision to go out on loan, stating it was a long-term plan rather than a short term one, as the goal is to extend his professional career.

Murphy admits he needs to be playing regularly if he ever hopes to break into the Gers team again, adding he needs to have that ten to twenty per cent extra in his system to operate at a club like Rangers.
 


The 30-year old will be hoping to add more goals and assists to his tally, if and when, the season comes back to life.



Murphy is aware that his fitness levels are still not up to the mark and stressed that he will have to work on his fitness to prove his calibre as a professional.

The wide-man admits he spoke to Gerrard before he moved and the manager was fully on board with the loan.
 

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“I felt Dubai was going to be a mini pre-season to get me ready”, Murphy said to The Athletic.

“Me and the manager agreed we both had to go out to play. This was a move for me to be a footballer for the next five years rather than two years.

“Until you play, you don’t get the real fitness. At a club like Rangers, you need that extra 10 per cent or 20 per cent. It wasn’t a frustration.

“I feel like I’d had to have had four or five full 90 minutes to get to the level of being a Rangers player.

“And we all know five games not up to scratch is not acceptable, so it was definitely the right thing to go on loan, prove my fitness and prove I can still be a professional player.”

Murphy has made 29 appearances for the Gers in all competitions, scoring six goals and bagging 13 assists.