Danny Murphy insists Match of the Day is in good hands if the reported trio to replace Gary Lineker end up presenting the show.
Lineker’s replacement has been a hot topic since the announcement last month that he would be stepping down as host of the show at the end of the season.
However, he will continue to present the BBC‘s FA Cup coverage next season as well as action from the 2026 World Cup.
The 64-year-old will then depart the broadcaster once the tournament ends.
It’s since been reported that a trio of presenters will succeed Lineker in the form of Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan.
An official announcement is yet to be made, however, plenty have had their say on the job being shared by the three.
On Wednesday, Jim White and Simon Jordan were joined by Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy, who could well be working with Cates, Chapman and Logan on the popular highlights show from next season.
Murphy was giving a rundown of his hectic weekend schedule when Jim White asked him who he thinks will get the role.
“Simon pushing me for Match of the Day didn’t work because it looks like Kelly Cates is going to be in there,” White said.
“What’s going on? Sharing it with Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman?”
Murphy responded: “I don’t know if it’s been confirmed but that sounds like a good plan to me. They’re all very good.”
“You must have been consulted, Danny?” White asked.
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“Of course,” Danny replied with a laugh.
“Why is it a good plan?” Jordan asked. “Are you trying to make sure you’re falling on the right side of the fence?”
“No, they’re all good, they’re all great,” Murphy responded to Jordan.
“We’ll have to wait and see when it’s confirmed then you can have a proper opinion.”
Jordan questioned: “I thought Chapman wasn’t going to do it unless he got the sole gig?”
Murphy laughed and said: “You know as well as anybody that if you start believing what’s written in the papers you’re on a slippery slope.”
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“I will not believe it until I read it in a certain column on a Thursday,” White joked.
Murphy has previously spoken of his admiration for Chapman, naming him as his ‘glaring, obvious’ pick for the MOTD presenting duties.
On the day Lineker’s departure was announced, Murphy told talkSPORT: “I feel that they’ve got [a candidate], Mark Chapman, who I work with a lot on Sundays. I think he’s a brilliant presenter and very, very knowledgeable on sport and football. Somebody who is ready-made for it.
“Whether he wants it or not, I don’t know. That’s a different question, you’d have to ask him.
“But he would be the glaring, obvious choice for me.”
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker explained why he felt the time was right to leave his role as Match of the Day host.
“It has been an absolute joy and privilege to present such an iconic show for the BBC, but all things have to come to an end,” Lineker said.
“It came at a point where really the BBC and Match of the Day, they’ve got the rights for another three years, the cycle starts from next season so it felt like if I just do one more year it would be a bit weird.”
“I bowed out in my football career when I felt it was the right time. I feel this is now the right time.”
Cates is set to drop presenting with Sky Sports and take on the Match of the Day role to form a trio alongside Chapman and Logan, who already host Match of the Day 2.
The daughter of Liverpool icon Sir Kenny Dalglish, Cates has previously worked for the BBC as a presenter on Radio 5 Live.
The Daily Mail claims Sky are ‘deeply saddened’ to have lost Cates.