Norwich City’s summer transfer market was crowded when Johannes Hoff Thorup was hired.
Following the team’s loss against Leeds United in the play-off semi-final, the Canaries decided to replace David Wagner.
For Ben Knapper, the club’s new sporting director, it was also his first summer, therefore it was an opportunity for both of them to leave their stamp on the first team roster.
Several new members were added, including Ante Crnac, Oscar Schwartau, José Córdoba, and Amankwah Forson, among others.
But the first team squad has also suffered from big name sales, as Jonathan Rowe and Gabriel Sara have left.
Supporters will be hoping that no other important players are sold any time soon, but the reality of football is that this will never be the case.
Here we look at two players that could yet be eyeing an exit from Carrow Road in 2025…
Josh Sargent
Josh Sargent was the subject of transfer speculation over the course of the summer, but remained with Norwich.
According to Give Me Sport, Cincinnati FC made a bid worth $20 (£15.3) million to sign the US international.
Norwich held onto the talismanic forward, but if they fail to gain promotion to the Premier League this season, then that will become increasingly difficult in 2025.
While he has a contract until 2025, his own ambitions will push him towards wanting to play at a higher level.
If the Norfolk outfit cannot provide him with top flight football, then it would come as no surprise if he looked elsewhere.
Norwich have a strong negotiating position if a club comes in with a bid to sign the 24-year-old, but this won’t stop him planning for a future away from Carrow Road.
This highlights the importance of a positive season for the team, as failure to gain promotion last year likely contributed to the departure of Rowe and Sara as well.
Losing Sargent on top of their exits would be a tough pill for supporters to swallow.
| Josh Sargent’s stats 2023/24 – per Fbref.com | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stat | Per 90 | ||
| Non-penalty goals | 0.78 | ||
| Non-penalty expected goals (npxG) | 0.54 | ||
| Shots | 3.21 | ||
| Assists | 0.10 | ||
| Expected assists (xAG) | 0.15 | ||
| npxG + xAG | 0.69 | ||
| Shot-creating actions | 3.11 | ||
Borja Sainz
Borja Sainz has become an increasingly important part of the Norwich squad since joining from Giresunspor in 2023.
The Spaniard has made a positive start to the campaign, and is proving a key asset among Thorup’s attacking options.
However, speculation over his future with the Championship side has already begun following the close of the summer market.
According to El Correo, Athletic Bilbao are interested in signing the 23-year-old as a potential replacement for Nico Williams.
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While the ability the wide attacker possesses is undeniable, it will take time for the youngster to settle into a new club, country, and culture.
The Spanish international earned a lot of transfer attention last summer following his starring role at the European Championship, but remained with La Liga club.
However, speculation over his Bilbao future is unlikely to stop there, and Athletic Club will be keeping tabs on potential players to sign in the event he leaves.
Given their strict recruitment policies which involve only using players from the Basque region, this limits who they can sign, making it even likelier that they could push for Sainz if Williams goes.
The opportunity to compete in the top flight of Spanish football could be quite tempting, and it is something Norwich will need to be wary of in 2025.
Read more at: https://sportupdates.co.uk
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