Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United in battle to sign Norwich City player
Norwich City captain Grant Hanley could be set to depart Carrow Road amid interest from his former club, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United.
This is according to Alan Nixon via Patreon, with a report stating that the 33-year-old is wanted by John Eustace as the Rovers boss looks to add more defensive depth at Ewood Park.
The same has been said for Chris Wilder and the promotion-chasing Blades, who are looking for a quick resolution in their own rearguard after losing the services of the impressive Harry Souttar, as the Leicester City loanee suffered an achilles tendon problem, which could rule him out for a year, according to reports.
Despite the predicament of their divisional rivals, Norwich now find themselves just four points off the play-off places after a dramatic victory against Coventry City on Saturday afternoon.
However, it looks as if Hanley could play no further part in the Canaries’ bid for the top six amid further discussions over the defender’s potential early exit from Carrow Road.
Grant Hanley linked with potential Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield United moves
It was reported just five days before the opening of the January transfer window that the exit door has been made available for the 33-year-old by Johannes Hoff Thorup, despite the Dane’s eagerness to keep the club captain around what is a youthful squad in East Anglia.
“From a selfish perspective, I want to keep him because he’s a leader and he’s a captain, and he’s a very experienced guy; he’s training well, and he’s good around the young boys,” Hoff Thorup told the Pink’Un.
“But I can understand if he comes to me and says, ‘I want to play first team football on a regular basis’. And then, of course, we need to sit down and look at the situation. And also, of course, obviously, what kind of offers will he get in January, because I think we have to be as honest to him as possible, and, of course, also to be realistic,” he added.
In the aforementioned report, it was stated that Championship, MLS and Scottish sides had all been monitoring Hanley’s situation, as the defender begins the final six months of his contract with the Yellows.
However, Nixon’s fresh update has provided some clarification to the prior exit talk, with Blackburn and Sheffield United considering a potential swoop for the 59-time international.
But, the links are caveated by the fact Hanley is soon to be out-of-contract, and the offering of a lengthy deal for the experienced centre-back could prove an issue for both sides when it comes to potential negotiations.
The financial ramifications of a deal for Hanley make this an intriguing predicament for all three clubs potentially involved in negotiations, especially as the defender is said to be one of City’s highest earners with a weekly salary of £30,000 per week.
Furthermore, the man who featured 200 times for Blackburn earlier in his career, has only made four appearances in all competitions under Hoff Thorup, as well as suffering persistent injury problems between April 2023 and the conclusion of last season, which saw him feature just 12 times.
Hanley wasn’t named in the squad that defeated Coventry on Saturday, which could have spelt the end of his time at Norwich after nigh on eight years with the club, which includes two promotions to the top flight.
That experience would definitely come in handy for either Eustace or Wilder in the short-term as they look to achieve their respective short-term aims after strong showings in the opening months of the season.
But, it remains to be seen whether the reported demands of a future long-term deal could halt either club’s respective pursuits.
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