Bid made: Norwich receive formal offer for 4 million-rated midfield "lion"
Bid made: Norwich receive formal offer for 4 million-rated midfield "lion"
With Norwich City clearly eager to go one better than last season's Championship playoff loss, they may be dealt an early blow with one of their star players attracting interest from a Europa League side.
Norwich look to put playoff heartbreak behind them
Following their playoff disappointment, Norwich City have wasted no time getting their team ready to try and go one step further next season. The Canaries' recent retained list has seen a number of out of favour stars shown the door at Carrow Road, freeing up space for new talents.
The big changes at Norwich have also a fresh face arrive in the dugout. Following David Wagner's almost immediate dismissal following the playoff defeat, the Canaries moved quickly to appoint Johannes Hoff Thorup. The former Nordsjælland manager signed a three-year deal with the club back in May allowing Norwich to avoid the chaotic rush to find a coach seen at other Championship clubs.
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The Canaries youngster must be unleashed by Johannes Hoff Thorup next season.
With the manager situation sorted, Norwich can look towards the transfer window, with a Turkish side submitting an offer for one of the Canaries' star players.
Trabzonspor make swoop for Canaries star
As first reported by Sport Witness, the Turkish press have stated that Trabzonspor have made an opening offer for Norwich City midfielder Marcelino Nunez. Whilst the size of the bid is not clear, the outlet states that the Chilean is valued at a little over £4 million, with the Turkish outfit looking to strengthen ahead of a season in Europa League football thanks to their third place finish in the Super Lig.
The midfielder has been a vital part of Norwich's side this season as the Canaries made it to the playoffs but ultimately fell short over two legs against Leeds United. During the season, Nunez featured 36 times, contributing two goals and three assists in the process.
Nunez is a midfielder that excels with the ball at his feet. The 24-year-old ranks in the 97th percentile for shots taken and 91st percentile for passes attempted when compared to midfielders in similar competitions.
The Chilean has been quick to make himself a fan favourite at Carrow Road since arriving from CD Universidad Católica in 2022. Back in March, his former boss David Wagner was quick to sing the praises of the midfielder, telling the press: "What he has improved very, very much is his ball possession. He very rarely makes unforced errors, he's very reliable on the ball.
"Obviously because he has such good legs he is always in and around a challenge on the pitch. He is a lion, he is a fighter, he really goes for every challenge, even if he's only [very short].
"But the biggest progression he's made has been in being reliable in ball possession. All the other stuff was always there."
Considering that Nunez is currently under contract until 2026, there is no pressure on the Norwich side to sell the player this summer. Despite this, if Trabzonspor put in a bid that exceeds the midfielder's valuation they may have no choice but to accept this offer.