Norwich City facing Rangers transfer competition for European goalkeeper | OneFootball

Norwich City are one of the clubs keen on signing the former Italy U21 international

Norwich City will be aiming to fight for promotion to the Premier League next season after a promising end to the previous campaign.

Philippe Clement turned things around at Carrow Road after the Canaries struggled in the opening months of 2025/26.

The 52-year-old steered the team clear of a relegation fight, with the club finishing ninth in the Championship table.

Norwich were just eight points adrift of the play-off places, giving fans enough reason to be optimistic about the year ahead.

It could be a busy summer for the Norfolk outfit, who have also received a boost with the league confirming that they play-offs will include an extra two teams from 2027 - this will give the team even further confidence that they can compete for promotion over the next 12 months.

Norwich City eyeing Palermo goalkeeper but Scottish giants also keen

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It has been reported by Italian outlet Calcio Mercato that Norwich are interested in a deal for Palermo goalkeeper Sebastiano Desplanches.

The shot-stopper has returned from a loan spell with Pescara, where he played 25 times in Serie B last season.

However, he is not part of Palermo’s plans going forward, which could open the door for the Canaries to earn his signature.

But the Championship side also face competition from Rangers, who are keen on bringing the 23-year-old to Ibrox this summer.

Rangers have appointed Derek McInnes as manager, and will be looking to bolster their first team squad after a disappointing third place finish in the Premiership last season.

Desplanches signed for Palermo in 2023, and has made a total of 23 league appearances for the club, helping them finish eighth in Serie B in 2025.

It is unlikely that Norwich will be targeting Desplanches as a new first-choice goalkeeper, with Vladan Kovacevic cementing that position last season.

The Bosnian arrived last summer from Legia Warsaw, and he featured in 45 of their 46 league fixtures, keeping eight clean sheets.

The 28-year-old is likely to be a key part of Norwich's plans for next season, but the Italian could arrive as a secondary option.

The 23-year-old was capped 16 times by the Italy U21 side, and has earned plaudits for having a lot of potential, despite not yet making it into Serie A in his career.

It is also likely to be a relatively low-cost transfer, with Palermo looking to move him on this summer.

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If Norwich are going to bring in the Italian, then selling at least one of Dan Grimshaw and Vicente Reyes would make the most sense.

The Canaries don’t need four first team goalkeepers for next season, particularly as Kovacevic has cemented his place as their number one.

If an offer comes in for Grimshaw, who could have interest from any number of League One clubs if he was made available, would open space in the squad for Desplanches.