Jose Cordoba was the Canaries’ first signing of the summer, brought in as a contingency for Ben Gibson’s exit as the only left-footed centre-back at the club. Callum Doyle’s arrival was a contingency plan for the departures of Sam McCallum and Dimitris Giannoulis at left-back, ditto fellow new boy Ben Chrisene.
Amankwah Forson was a contingency for Gabriel Sara’s move to Galatasaray, and if Jonathan Rowe completes his move to suitors Marseille, there’s a contingency plan for him.
But before that scenario unfolds, City’s next move is likely to be the contingency plan for their contingency plan, the replacement for the original Adam Idah replacement: Ante Crnac.
When it’s put like that it doesn’t sound favourable, but in many ways the Croatian is exactly the sort of signing fans were hoping for. Bertug Yildirim may have been first through the gates of the Avant Training Centre, but the buzz around Crnac has been much louder than what surrounded the Turk.
Watch a classic YouTube highlights package and it’s easy to see why: in just a year in Poland with Rakow Czestochowa he developed a portfolio of thumping headers, long-range thunderbolts and elegant individual goals.
He’s also got plenty of time to develop aged just 20, and there’s an aesthetic to his technique that any football fan can appreciate. He’s been described as “a player who is very agile, comfortable with the ball at his feet” by Meczyków journalist Tomasz Włodarczyk, who covered his time in the Ekstraklasa.
The concern, as it was with Yildirim, is the forward’s goalscoring record. He registered only eight goals in 26 league appearances last term, the same number Przemyslaw Placheta claimed before his move to Carrow Road. Crnac also failed to find the net in six Europa League games.
Much of that comes, however, from the variance in roles he played throughout his time at Rakow. The under-21 international featured on the left, the right and even in a deeper role, as a second striker or ‘number 10’.
That versatility is something sporting director Ben Knapper was looking for from his latest addition, and it’s a strength he may need to achieve the required game time.
That’s because Josh Sargent won’t easily surrender his throne as a comfortable first-choice striker. His stellar performance in the 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers was a reminder of why Idah had originally departed in search of game time.
Josh Sargent won’t make it easy to unseat him
Crnac’s flexibility helps minimise the difficulty that inevitably causes for the sourcing of a new striker, and it also gives head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup an option in an area that’s currently for the taking on the right.
But chiefly he’s a central striker. Those bullet headers were consistent examples of his poaching qualities, even if the gliding technique explains his usefulness out wide.
The desire to use Crnac centrally has been echoed throughout his career, as it was by Rakow sporting director Robert Graf when they signed him for around €1million a year ago.
“Ante is a player with great potential, who is to function in our system in the number nine position,” he said. “We believe that this is where he can develop the most and reach a high European level. We count on him to strengthen the competition among our strikers and become an important player in this team.”
Perhaps he’s also a long-term solution in NR1, as the eventual loss of star man Sargent looms ever closer.
There are, of course, a number of hurdles to come for Crnac, with the level he’s playing at taking a huge jump and adaptation needed quickly. But again he highlights the profile of player Knapper is looking for, and he’s a talent Norwich firmly believe in.
They’ve been down this road before. Christos Tzolis’ loss-making escape highlighted its potential perils as recently as June.
But so often recruitment is about taking risks, and if this one pays off the upside will be huge.
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