Daniel Farke labelled £9m Norwich City signing as "outstanding" - He wasn't right off Carrow Road evidence | OneFootball

Winger Milot Rashica was very highly-rated by Daniel Farke when he was signed for Norwich City, but didn't live up to the hype.

When Norwich City completed the signing of Milot Rashica from Werder Bremen in the summer of 2021, the club believed they

had secured an exciting attacking talent.

Reported as being brought for a reported £9.4 million, the winger arrived with a strong Bundesliga pedigree, having been a standout performer in Germany’s top tier for several seasons.

Daniel Farke, Norwich’s head coach at the time, said about Rashica: “He’s a player who can do something outstanding in the offence,” and hailed the Kosovan international’s potential. At face value, the deal made sense.

Norwich were preparing for another shot at Premier League survival, and Rashica, then 24, had demonstrated he could beat defenders, create chances, and score goals.

Initial hype regarding Rashica

Farke described him as a player who "has delivered many end products and although he is young, he has played many games at the top level”, and someone who “can play a number of positions, as a winger, striker or number ten. He’s a pretty versatile player and we’re happy to be able to bring a quality player in". The manager was confident the former Werder Bremen star could be a central figure in the Canaries' push to establish themselves in the Premier League.

However, the reality was very different. Rashica made 40 appearances across all competitions during his time at Norwich, scoring just two goals.

In the Premier League, he managed only a single goal and a couple of assists. Rather than transforming the Canaries' attack, he became emblematic of a recruitment strategy that failed to deliver the necessary quality for top-flight survival.

Rashica's struggles weren't down to a lack of opportunities. He was regularly involved in matchday squads and featured in both wide attacking roles.

But his end product was consistently underwhelming. His dribbling ability, once considered one of his strengths in the Bundesliga, rarely translated into meaningful chances in the Premier League. In possession, he often looked hesitant, lacking the confidence that had made him such a threat in Germany.

Norwich, as a whole, endured a dismal 2021/22 campaign, finishing bottom of the league with just five wins and 23 goals scored. The club’s lack of cutting edge in the final third was glaring, and Rashica, despite his price tag and early backing from Farke, failed to offer a solution.

Rashica's departure

It didn’t take long for doubts to surface. As the losses piled up and Norwich slipped further toward relegation, Rashica’s impact, or lack thereof, became more noticeable. Farke himself was sacked in November 2021, just hours after leading Norwich to their first league win of the season. By the time Dean Smith took over, Rashica's form was already poor.

A loan move to Galatasaray followed in 2022. In Turkey, Rashica began to rebuild his career. He showed flashes of the player Norwich thought they had signed, scoring goals and contributing more regularly in a more attacking league.

His performances were strong enough that Besiktas opted to make a move to sign him on a permanent deal in 2023.

While Rashica’s time in Turkey has gone better, it’s clear that Norwich never saw the version of the player that had excited Bundesliga fans. Whether it was the tactical setup, the pressure of Premier League football, or simply a poor fit, the winger never got close to justifying his transfer fee.

A representation of a wider issue regarding Norwich's recruitment

Norwich’s approach to recruitment during their most recent Premier League campaigns has often come under scrutiny.

The club has tried to uncover value in Europe’s mid-tier markets, looking for players who can grow into the league. Sometimes it has worked, but in cases like Rashica, it has exposed the risk of banking on potential instead of proven top-flight quality.

In the end, Rashica’s time at the Canaries will be remembered as a costly misstep. For all the early praise and optimism, he didn’t live up to the label of an “outstanding” signing. Norwich took a gamble, and it didn’t pay off.