So, things are slowly starting to move – both in terms of incomings and outgoings. Still slowly, but they’re moving. We even appear to have a new signing imminent… possibly.
So… the Norwich City week that was:
Monday 4 July
A slow start to the week, with the first team squad partaking of day three of what looked a gruelling training camp in Bavaria. From the club’s official footage, Jordan Hugill looked, as ever, to be front and centre of all things ‘banter’ and it was good to observe Todd Cantwell being all happy and smiley.
The other big news of the day was the Premier League and EFL announcing that safe standing, after several successful trials last season, will be permitted from the start of the new season.
From a Norwich City perspective, discussions have already taken place around this, with a chunk of the Lower Barclay and the Snakepit being said designated areas. Whether there’s enough time for the work to be done between now and August 6 looks doubtful.
The only other thing of note came in the Pink Un’s podcast and an interesting line from our Connor on the rumoured investment from the Milwaukee mob:
Quote: ‘We understand there is nothing imminent. But Attanasio remains undeterred in his willingness to invest. These things can be complex and no news is always good news.’
It appears the plan, if indeed it does come to fruition, is for Attanasio and his people to acquire just the current 18 percent shareholding of Michael Foulger… for now.
Tuesday 5 July
The big news of the day was that Ipswich Town are coming for us… apparently. Their CEO, a punchy chap by the name of Mark Ashton, told a Town fans’ forum that he was fed up with City encroaching on Suffolk turf and is having no more of it. He went on to describe the development centres City have set up in deepest Suffolk.
In truth, he wasn’t saying anything we’d not expect him to say but while we’re still in different divisions, a turf war, rather than a battle on the pitch, is the best he muster.
There was also news that Josh Martin – a player many of us saw as re-entering the fold this season after successful spells out on loan – didn’t make the plane to Germany. Instead, he has been training with the 23s at Colney and seems almost certain to leave the club.
The 20-year-old attacking midfielder is in the final 12 months of his current deal, and was sent out on loan last season by Daniel Farke after making his Premier League debut in July 2020 and featuring in the Championship-winning team of 2020-21.
Wednesday 6 July
Finally… a transfer rumour with legs! After weeks of patience, we were at last linked with a new player. Reports coming from South America suggested we were looking to secure a season-long loan for Sao Paolo’s 23-year-old Gabriel Sata – an attacking midfielder who, via his YouTube showreel, looks to be the only Brazilian in history not blessed with flicks, tricks and silky skills. Some may even describe him as slightly awkward.
But, with Dean Smith openly on the search for a number 8, and Stuart Webber having openly (and quite rightly) declared that more physicality and mobility are needed in the centre of that midfield, Sara ticks several boxes.
Also… some of our big names rejoined the travelling throng in Germany, among them Tim Krul, Teemu Pukki, Milot Rashica and Danel Sinani.
Thursday 7 July
A big day… a huge day… massive day! But, while for some it was all about the ongoing shenanigans on College Green, Westminster, for us the big news was that Przemysław Placheta was heading out on loan to Birmingham City for the season.
Another to depart, this time permanently, was centre-back Akin Famewo who completed a move to Sheffield Wednesday, while other rumours linked Bali Mumba to a season-long loan to Plymouth Argyle.
In less surprising news, Christos Tzolis again popped up on the radar of Club Brugge.
Friday 8 July
More incoming transfer rumours! The Pink ‘Un, or more to be precise our Sam, reported that City are interested in Manchester City’s Marlos Moreno, the initial reports emanating from the forward’s native Colombia.
The 25-year-old, who’s not played a single game for Guardiola’s first XI, joined Man City from Atletico Nacional in 2016 but since then has been sent out on loan to no less than seven clubs, most recently at KV Kortrijk in Belgium where he scored twice in 27 games.
It seems we have competition from Championship rivals Bristol City and Sunderland, which is never a good thing when you consider the continued shallowness of our pockets, but, intentional or otherwise, there seems to be a South American theme developing as Smith and Webber look to strengthen the squad.
And in terms of our Brazilian friend, I give you this from Archant’s Paddy Davitt:
The key element of Paddy’s tweet, as many of you will know, is #nocircus – Davitt code for ‘it’s happening’. So, barring any late hitches, it looks like we should expect a box-to-box South American midfielder to be crossing the Colney threshold in the next week. Keep ’em peeled. 👀
In deepest Bavaria, as part of the ongoing teambuilding and, I guess, as a break from the relentless double and sometimes triple sessions, the players and staff went white water rafting – which was nice.
Saturday 9 July
Game day! The German training camp concluded with a game against 2.Bundeliga side SSV Jahn Regensburg at the SV Grassau Sportspark.
Not for the first time in a pre-season game of this ilk, it was played in the form of three 30-minute periods. Not that it really matters at this stage of proceedings, but it ended 2-2 with City’s goals coming from Todd Cantwell (a header!) and Jon Rowe.
Also noteworthy was that in Smith’s post-match interview, he made special mention of Danel Sinani and how well the Luxembourg international has done both in training and in the game. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Sinani could well feature this season, but attacking midfielders is an area in which we’re currently overloaded. Some will be departing, either on loan or permanently.
One interesting aside, unrelated to events in Germany, was the Pink Un reporting, via, Goal.com, that a potential stumbling block to the Sara deal has arisen. They even describe it as an “impasse”.
While it appears the fee has been set and agreed at £12million, City are reportedly looking to pay the fee in instalments over a two-year period, while Sao Paulo want more than 50% of the fee up front – another case of our ultra-shallow pockets coming into play when trying to get a deal over the line.
So, maybe it’s not quite the done deal as we’d assumed on Friday.
Either way, I have an inkling this could be an interesting week.
***
NOTE: Ten minutes after posting this piece, Paddy tweeted this…
Thanks for the updates Gary……it has been from an NCFC point of view, a very quiet “window” so far.
(Discounting the ever increasing number of hot prospects which we bought, some for sizeable sums, who are now leaving with what seems to be very little money hitting the balance sheet).
Am I the only one wondering why Watford and Burnley seem to be in a much better financial state than us despite Burnley having to stump up 65m apparently……not to mention the sums which Brentford and particularly Forest are splashing out…..
Not at all impressed so far, I have to admit!
O T B C
Hi John
It seems that Burnley did a deal of sorts on the £65m with a chunk paid off and the rest due on Promotion, a few weeks ago Martin and Myself did an article on the Championship finance and sadly even at this level we came out bottom even the Promoted clubs had wealthier owners than City.
Hi Gary it looks like the squad were bonding quite well. From that point of view a successful week. Hopefully Cantwell has decided to rejoin the fold. Could be as good as a new signing. Fingers crossed. As to the Brazilian lad let’s hope he adds some dynamism to the midfield along with Hayden. Whatever a midfield is better than no midfield, last season’s team may just have been better with that option.
Hi Delfie… hope you’re well.
Yep, agreed although slightly concerning that Hayden has been injured already and hasn’t played. I think Martin is talking about this in his Monday morning piece.
I dont understand why you play so many training games? Last season just ended and very soon the new season starts. In championship you also play so many games.
Women euro 2022 is a fantastic tournament going on. Attendances are good, playing level have kept on raising and the atmosphere seems brilliant and friendly. Very entertaining games, plenty of goals, a lot of scoring chances, drama, plenty of women football fans, families and so on…Yes, im jealous to you that you have that tournament in your country. About 1500 fans from Finland have traveled and our main broadcaster has done a nice job and players have become very well known. To every game we have good football studios with experts and when Finland plays its of course big day and studio time is longer.
Number 8 means Inside Right to me, when players were numbered according to position, Tommy Bryceland was a number 8. Sara is left footed. Is Pukki a number 9? He wasn’t signed to play in that position.Is Aarons a number 2? – I am not a number, I am a free man!
Will our manager try to develop any players or will he continue to give the youngsters away and hope he can get some “oven ready” players?
thanks Gary good sum up. the way burnley in particular are splashing the cash is a little concerting, but haven’t they made a couple of sales Pope to Newcastle £10m. that would help with the lower priced signings they have made. Watford made a couple of sales which has funded some incomings. Still I feel City are so far behind.
Good news on Sara, who has been injured since April , take it in depth medicals have been undertaken , sounds like a little sour grapes from WBA,” As much as signing a Brazilian midfield sensation might get eh juices flowing within for many West Brom fans, this might be the best thing that could have happened for us this summer.” & “We also can’t take a risk in signing a player that has never played on European soil let alone in England when we have a very important season ahead.”
I wonder why they made a bid ?
Good to see Sinani standing out, I watched a few games on streaming of Huddersfield, he looked good to me. Also Smith made mention of one of my favorites, Hernandez, he can be a great addition this season. Noticed Tzolis went to the training camp playing in one of the 30 mins sessions, perhaps keeping his fitness up or giving him another chance. Krul turned up on Tuesday or Wenesday yet I do not think he took part in any of the sessions,
One other bit of news the first American hope we signed Sebastian Soto turned out for League One new boys Barnsley in a trial match on Saturday.
Sounds like good news Gary.
I may be unnecessarily concerned but the two signings we have made are carrying injuries and I just hope there is no repeat of Norman and Kabak
They do seem fairly long-term injuries as well.
But these players on paper do seem to be what we needed last season.
Quality over quantity.
The club probably have no choice but to take the risk.
I maybe wrong but I think other championship teams who have been a lot busier than us haven’t got as big a squad as we have.
Teemu and Todd will be on Premiership wages and the new guys coming in won’t be cheap to employ.
So it doesn’t surprise me that we are not doing too much business.
Whether that is right considering the parachute payments we get I would need someone brighter ( for years I thought Ru Paul’s Drag Racing was an American car racing show …fact😂) than me to really go into the nuts and bolts of our finances.
Hi Gary
ManC are wanting a profit on the £4.75m the paid for Moreno after 7 loan payments I would have thought they had made one.
As for leavers Soto, Martin might earn a small fee with a sell on clause Tzolis unless city are willing to their take a big lose or pay most of his salary it’s going to be hard to shift him I would hope he gets till January to prove himself and then might be the time to let him go out on loan.