Norwich City Boss Thorup Speaks On Canaries Transfer Window Challenges

Johannes Hoff Thorup hopes future transfer windows as Norwich City boss bring less drama, but the head coach feels he now has a group who want to be here.

The Dane’s own squad makeover navigated messy and protracted exits for the likes of Adam Idah, Jon Rowe and Abu Kamara, after all three made it clear they saw their futures away from Carrow Road.

First team coaching duo Narcis Pelach and Paul Clements also departed in recent days for league rivals, Stoke City.

Thorup and sporting director Ben Knapper brought in eight new players over the close season, to try and get the Canaries competing at the right end of the Championship.

“What we have now is a lot of players eager and have a desire to perform here and really want to play for Norwich, which I think is the most important thing,” said the Dane. “For all the guys we got in it was really important for them to come here.

“They really wanted to push to come here, which I think is crucial. But we also have to be aware that people can develop when they are here, they can have a fantastic season, and then there will be a lot of interest in them next summer.

“Hopefully without the transfer request side of it, but still with the desire to go to a next level. That’s how it is. That’s how the circle is in football. And we just have to make sure that we prepare the next ones, and we are ready for those situations.”

Manchester City loanee Callum Doyle has been the pick of the summer intake.

“He’s just become better and better and better. What he gives us is this calmness on the ball, and he has an eye for passes in between lines,” Thorup told BBC Radio Norfolk. “You can only applaud his quality on the ball and I think he’s taking steps to become a really, really important player for us.

“Age is just a number. If you look at his career so far, he played competitive matches at an early age, and had a lot so far already.

“I’m really not that surprised, because he has a lot of experience. That is also what we see at the moment, and I think what we have to make sure of with him is, as an individual, from next season he should take the next step in his career, because I definitely think he has the abilities to do it.”