"Down the pecking order" - Norwich City told to look to Nottingham Forest, Fulham before transfer window ends | OneFootball

FLW's verdict on a realistic transfer target Norwich City should pursue before the 30 August deadline

Highlights

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Norwich City will be aiming to fight for promotion to the Premier League again next season.

David Wagner oversaw a sixth-place finish in the previous campaign, but a play-off semi-final defeat to Leeds United ended his time in charge of the first team squad.

Johannes Hoff Thorup has since replaced the German and will have his sights set on going one step further with the Canaries in 2025.

Norwich City's summer business so far

The Norfolk outfit have already sealed the signing of José Córdoba this summer, in what has been a relatively quiet start to the window.

But they still have until 30 August to complete any remaining deals, with outgoings proving a bigger priority so far.

While the team was strong enough for a top six finish last year, one or two additions may still be needed to maintain such a competitive level over the next 12 months.

Norwich City should target Harry Toffolo and Jay Stansfield

Here we ask our FLW writers their verdict on which realistic target Norwich should pursue before the end of the window…

Declan Harte

The impending signing of Callum Doyle is a smart move by Norwich and one they should absolutely get over the line.

It’s been a surprisingly slow start to the summer, but it is a strong squad at Carrow Road and some signings may yet depend on who departs, if anyone.

But based on the squad, as it is now, another player capable of playing left-back could be a shrewd addition.

Doyle is able to play there or through the middle, but the team otherwise lacks options in that area.

Someone like Harry Toffolo from Nottingham Forest could be what they need, as he is a player with a lot of experience and knows what it takes to compete in the Premier League.

During his time in the Championship, he was crucial to Huddersfield Town reaching the play-off final, contributing an impressive six goals and seven assists in 42 appearances (stats from Fbref).

That he has fallen down the pecking order at the City Ground could also be an advantage for Norwich, as it might make him an affordable option to complement the arrival of Doyle, which could also allow for greater tactical flexibility.

Ned Holmes

Adam Idah has been strongly linked with a permanent move to Celtic and Norwich will want to bring in a replacement should he move on.

They already have Josh Sargent, who finished the season at a canter, and the experienced Ashley Barnes but Fulham's Jay Stansfield could complement that pair.

We've seen the 21-year-old's quality on loan spells with Exeter City, when he scored nine times and provided seven assists, and at Birmingham City, when he bagged 13 goals but was unable to steer them clear of relegation from the Championship.

With reports suggesting that Stansfield could be allowed to leave Craven Cottage this summer, Norwich should surely look to rival the likes of Blues, Cardiff City, Leeds United and Hull City for his signature.

A loan spell would be ideal for the Canaries but using the cash they earn from the potential sale of Idah to sign the young forward permanently would make a lot of sense as well.

He looks a player with a high ceiling and could earn Norwich a sizable profit in a few years – even if it does cost around £6 million to bring him to Carrow Road.