With the transfer window having just over a week to go, it’s getting to crunch time for Norwich City.
The Canaries currently have a great looking, strong squad for the 2020/21 Championship campaign but all the while, as the days tick by, stuff is going on in the background that might be making Stuart Webber sweat.
The City Sporting Director is a famously honest, straight talking sort of bloke, which is why he is always worth listening to when he speaks. He will know that to receive big bids now for the likes of Todd Cantwell, Emi Buendia, Ben Godfrey and Max Aarons might mean that there is precious little time to replace them. I am sure that there will be contingency plans in place, in case of such offers, but the selling club then have to replace their own player, the one that Norwich want, if you’re still with me?
Time is ticking.
Max Aarons will have done well over the last week not to have his head turned about the possibilities of a move away from Norwich after a bid came in for him from Barcelona.
It is surely a testament to the way that little old Norwich are now running things and the sorts of players they are finding and developing, that clubs like Barca and Liverpool are making bids for our young talent.
It will grow the club’s profile and it will only help persuade other youngsters in the future that when offered a chance to join Norwich from whatever academy they might already in, that this is a great opportunity and one to grab with both hands. Of course, developing young players into stars and then selling them is our business model and we all know that, so we as fans can’t get too bent out of shape when it does happen.
Throughout the summer transfer window there have been links to Ben Godfrey from all over Europe. AC Milan have been mentioned more than once but the Italian giants are now being linked with another City defender in the shape of Max Aarons.
AC Milan and Roma have joined the list of clubs who want to sign Max Aarons from Norwich.
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) September 26, 2020
I don’t know if Max wants a move away from Norwich but having had a move to Barca knocked back, if another club of that stature, like Milan or the also linked, Roma, came in for him, not to mention the also linked Bayern Munich, then you’d have to assume that Max would be sold the next time and that he would want to leave. Why wouldn’t he? I have to say that it’s looking highly likely that Max will be sold in the next week.
Another link to one of our youngsters, comes from Yorkshire, in the shape of Leeds United’s reported interest in Todd Cantwell.
The newly promoted Marcelo Bielsa managed Yorkshire men are reportedly looking for a new number 10 and that Todd is on their list of targets.
Leeds United prepare Todd Cantwell bid as Marcelo Bielsa still has holes to fill #LUFC #MOThttps://t.co/eZrZ6cncND
— Daily Star Sport (@DailyStar_Sport) September 26, 2020
If Leeds offer the right money then again, local boy or not, there is a lot to tempt a young man, full of ambition, like Todd. If you put the salary increase aside, there is the chance to work with a near legendary manager in Bielsa and the chance to play in the Premier League again with the European Championships happening next summer. If you rate yourself, and clearly Todd does, then that would surely be appealing.
As Franks Sinatra and Stuart Webber have both said before, ‘That’s life.”
The good thing is though, no player will be sold on the cheap. We’ve already seen that and the Webber ethos is that the club is bigger than any single player and will still be here in 20, 30, 40 years etc and these guys will not. With parachute payments for the next two years, City are currently well financed for a promotion push and they have a number of very valuable playing assets if the goal of a second promotion in three years can’t be attained.
Finally, another star, albeit a little older, that has been linked with a move is Teemu Pukki.
According to well sourced journalist, Nick Mashiter, Pukki is set to stay at Carrow Road this summer and, most importantly, he is happy to do so – at the moment.
Link to story – Pukki set to stay at Norwich this window despite Prem interest but club will face a battle to keep him if they're not challenging in January. Includes update on Moritz Leitner's future. #ncfc https://t.co/4cquL7Mx9I
— Nick Mashiter (@nickmashiter) September 26, 2020
That’s obviously very good news, with the Flying Fin having already scored once and assisted once in the opening two games. Mr Mashiter also has a little update on Moritz Leitner, writing that the German midfielder is talking to three Championship clubs about a move.
As we stand, at time of writing, that’s your latest in the world of Norwich City transfers.
Enjoy your Sunday.
OTBC