Even with under-pressure manager David Wagner still at the helm, Norwich City are entering a new era as a football club with the appointment of Ben Knapper as Sporting Director of the Canaries with Stuart Webber stepping away from the Norfolk-based club subsequently.
Knapper will have a whole host of difficult decisions to make and considerations to ponder over, especially the immediate future of Wagner in the dug-out if results don’t begin to pick up.
Another will be the January transfer window coming up and whether or not Norwich should sign anyone, sniffing around to see if any players would be tempted to relocate to Carrow Road even on just a short-term basis on a loan deal.
Calling his new role a “huge honour and privilege” via the Norwich official club website, Knapper won’t completely discard the past connections he’s got in the football world however in his new surroundings – the current Canaries Sporting Director previously on the books at Premier League Arsenal, holding various different roles at the Emirates.
This could see Norwich potentially raid Knapper’s former club for some young and hungry talents this January, an injection of freshness just what the Yellows desire after a dire recent run of form in the Championship.
Here are three Gunners youngsters Norwich could potentially look at…
1
Reuell Walters
Able to play at right-back, left-back and centre-back, Norwich could well gamble on the services of the versatile Walters to help fix the leakiness present at the back currently under Wagner.
Relying on defenders such as Danny Batth recently – the ex Wolverhampton Wanderers man reaching the twilight of his career at 33 – a fresh face at the heart of defence could do the Yellows the world of good and Walters could offer Wagner’s men something different with a quick, mobile figure in the backline.
Cited as an “attack-minded” defender according to the Arsenal official club website, the teen starlet is deserving of his first loan away from the north London club – playing in eight straight games for the U21’s recently, the 18-year-old even captaining the side on occasion.
2
Bradley Ibrahim
Norwich could also do with reinforcements in the centre of the park, mainly in defensive midfield.
The only out-and-out defensive midfielder present in Norfolk at this moment in time is Jacob Lungi Sörensen, but the young Dane finds himself sidelined with an injury at this moment in time.
This is where Ibrahim could come to the rescue if signed on a loan deal this upcoming January, the 19-year-old excelling in this role for the U21s currently.
Rising through the ranks in north London – formerly U18s captain – Ibrahim is a key starter for the Premier League 2 Gunners now with the teenager even scoring versus Brighton on top of assisting a further two strikes in his last outing.
Ibrahim is ready for the step-up to senior football having appeared in first-team squads at Arsenal, with Norwich now a potential destination for the promising midfielder.
3
Amario Cozier-Duberry
The Canaries could well be in the market for another winger this January, with fears mounting that Jonathan Rowe could be leaving the building – Premier League interest intensifying in the standout 20-year-old.
Amario Cozier-Duberry could well be just the talent Norwich are seeking, the teenage star dazzling defences and proving “unplayable” – as per Jack Wilshere – at youth level for some time with trickery and skill.
The 18-year-old isn’t just a showboater with no obvious end product however, netting four goals in his last two U21 games including a brace against Manchester City last time out.
His second goal was the culmination of a magical solo run paying off, evading Man City challengers before firing home what proved to be a crucial equalising strike.
Wagner could well opt to sign Cozier-Duberry for more bodies to call upon from down the channels, the 18-year-old eager to show off his raw skill on a bigger stage.
