Daniel Farke struck £0 transfer gold at Norwich City - it’s not Teemu Pukki | OneFootball

Norwich City bought Tim Krul on a free transfer and he was key as the Canaries won two Championship titles during his time at the club.

Norwich City are heading into the 2026/27 campaign full of confidence after their remarkable transformation under Philippe Clement.

The ex-Rangers boss inherited a Norwich side trying to stay up, but, under his guidance, they quickly climbed the table, and the 56 points from 31 games they picked up under Clement would have had the Canaries battling for promotion over a full season.

As well as that, several individuals have improved due to Clement's coaching methods, and there is a lot of exciting talent in the squad right now.

Tim Krul was a shrewd signing for Norwich City

Of course, Norwich know all about winning promotion from the Championship, so the fans recognise what a successful team looks like at this level.

Daniel Farke built several exciting Norwich teams in the second tier, and, to his credit, it wasn’t all about throwing money at it to be successful.

And, one man who featured prominently in Norwich’s two title wins in 2019 and 2021 is Tim Krul.

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The keeper was obviously well-known to fans in English football from his time at Newcastle, where he proved himself a very capable Premier League stopper.

However, by 2018, Krul’s career had gone on a downward trajectory. He had lost his place in the Magpies XI, with injuries not helping his situation, and there were loan moves to Ajax and AZ Alkmaar, before the keeper signed for Brighton.

Krul spent the majority of his year with the Seagulls on the bench, and he was then released, which allowed Norwich to swoop in to sign him on a free.

At 30, Krul should’ve still had a lot to offer, but, as outlined above, a tough few years meant he arrived in Norfolk with a question mark over how he would contribute.

But, the Dutch international emphatically answered those questions, as he played every game in his first season as the club went up as champions.

In the 2021/22 season, Krul played 36 times, so he had a prominent role in both title victories, and whilst the likes of Teemu Pukki and Emi Buendia understandably attracted the headlines, all connected to Norwich will recognise that they had a reliable stopper between the sticks.

There were bad times for Krul at Norwich, and the two relegations will hurt, but it’s fair to say that two promotions, some great moments and over 150 appearances for the club, make it excellent business for the Canaries.

Norwich City will hope to repeat Tim Krul transfer success this summer

Following on from that, Norwich and Clement have a blueprint to follow, and you can be sure that the boss recognises the importance of having experienced figures in the squad.

Kenny McLean is the obvious exception, but if there is one criticism of Norwich it’s that they lack know-how in the key areas of the pitch.

The 2026/27 Championship is shaping up to be one of the toughest in recent memory, as there are several big hitters and clubs with a lot of resources.

So, Norwich need to have all areas covered if they are to sustain a promotion push, and having figures like Krul in the dressing room can’t be underestimated when it comes to navigating your way through a demanding season where the games come thick and fast.

After their remarkable form under Clement, the Norwich squad looks in a good place going into the summer window, but it’s clear a few additions are needed.

If the Belgian can replicate the signing of Krul, it could be another piece in the jigsaw as he tries to emulate Farke in taking Norwich to the Premier League.