Norwich City set to swoop for Bristol City manager Liam Manning in bargain £800k deal | OneFootball

39-year-old Manning is set to return to his home city, providing negotiations with Norwich are successful

Norwich City are set to make an official approach for Bristol City boss Liam Manning on Monday, with the expectation that he will make the move to Carrow Road.

The Canaries have been after a new manager since April after dispensing of the services of 36-year-old Dane Johannes Hoff Thorup, who lasted less than a year in charge following his move from FC Nordsjaelland.

City finished mid-table in the Championship in 2024-25, and with aspirations of returning to the Premier League sooner rather than later, the next appointment from sporting director Ben Knapper - backed by majority owner Mark Attanasio - has to be the right one.

Norwich City set to approach Bristol City for manager Liam Manning

Norwich's manager search has been a thorough process, with first-team coach Jack Wilshere ruled out early, with the ex-Arsenal midfielder subsequently departing the Canaries.

The shortlist had been narrowed down to former RB Salzburg manager Pep Lijnders - previously an assistant to Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool - as well as ex-Norwich midfielder Gary O'Neil, but having considered their options, they are now turning to Manning as their next boss.

As first reported by Nick Mashiter of the BBC, Norwich will approach Bristol City for the 39-year-old on Monday, with The Telegraph's John Percy revealing that the compensation figure for his services will be around the £800,000 mark.

Percy also claims that Manning will engage in talks with the Norwich hierarchy later this week to thrash out a deal to move back to the city of his birth, with Bristol City seemingly powerless to stop him from moving on.

Bristol City are set to feel exactly how Oxford United felt with Liam Manning

This is not the first time that Manning will have moved on from a job - providing negotiations finalise with a positive conclusion - whilst still contracted to the club, having joined the Robins in similar circumstances from Oxford United in 2023.

Manning was just three months into the season with the then-League One U's, who won promotion at the end of the campaign under Des Buckingham, but he was happy to jump ship - understandably though to a club at a higher level.

This one though would see Manning join a Championship rival, in what could be perceived as a sideways step, due to the fact Bristol City finished in the play-off spots and Norwich were a fair way behind them when it was all said and done.

There will be marked disappointment from within the Robins fanbase, but they will have to presumably move on and build without him - it's just how football pans out sometimes.