Unthinkable Borja Sainz transfer action should not enter Norwich City board's mind | OneFootball

Norwich City shouldn't even consider selling Borja Sainz in January.

Borja Sainz has been an absolute revelation for Norwich City since his arrival in 2023. The Spanish winger has taken the Championship by storm this campaign, and will undoubtedly have plenty of admirers heading into January.

An electric start to the season has seen the 23-year-old notch up ten goals and two assists in his opening 12 matches, averaging a goal contribution every single game. The Canaries have been rampant so far this season, with 22 goals scored, which Sainz has been a massive factor in.

However, any thoughts of selling the Spaniard in the upcoming winter transfer window should be dashed, as he would surely be a key asset in a potential push for promotion.

The young attacker linked up with the East Anglian side last summer, signing from Turkish outfit, Giresunspor. Whilst his first season was steady, netting six goals and two assists, it would be the 2024-25 campaign in which Sainz took centre stage for his side.

A new era at Carrow Road is underway, with Mark Attansio's continued investment in the club, coupled with the appointment of the exciting Johannes Hoff Thorup, it's clear to see that the club are looking at a first Premier League return since 2022.

Norwich find themselves in a bit of unfamiliar territory, especially in recent history, as bitter rivals Ipswich Town secured back-to-back promotions to earn themselves a spot in the Premier League. Being the second-best team in East Anglia is something Norwich haven't been used to in recent times, so the Canaries will be desperate to overthrow their rivals.

Whilst it's still very early in the season, Sainz's form has been remarkable. The amount of goals Norwich are scoring is certainly reflective of a promotion contender, as only league leaders Sunderland have netted more times. However, with Sainz involved in 12 out of City's 22 goals so far, the reliance on the Spaniard could come back to cost them should the board cash in on their star in January.

The Canaries' defensive record is costing them wins

When you look at Norwich's season so far, so many goals have come from the 23-year-old's contributions. It would be near enough impossible to get someone in mid-season who could replicate the levels of quality Sainz is showing at the moment.

The Canaries are hard to beat, having only lost two of their opening 12. However, they must start turning draws into wins if they want to get into the automatic promotion hunt. Currently in eighth, City are just five points behind second-place Burnley, which can easily be overturned with a string of strong results.

Defensively though, Norwich have struggled massively, conceding 16 goals. This number, in comparison with their promotion rivals, is nowhere near good enough to get the Canaries in the conversation for promotion. The number of goals conceded is preventing Thorup's side from turning one point into three, which they need to do if they are to press on.

This record will be worrying for the Danish manager, as his side certainly have the capability to compete at the sharp end when it comes to scoring, they just look a lot less comfortable at the back, especially recently, having conceded an average of two goals per game in their last three matches.

Norwich shouldn't even consider Sainz sale

As alluded to already, the Canaries must keep hold of Sainz in the January transfer window. Unquestionably, clubs at a higher level will be sniffing around the winger in the upcoming transfer window - La Liga outfit Athletic Bilbao were linked in the summer and the player is reportedly open to joining them - but the board mustn't be swayed by any offers that come in.

Offers may come in, but the board must look at the bigger picture, should Sainz's red-hot form continue. With the chances and goals that the former Zaragoza man brings to the team, they could be in with a real shout of promotion this season. Moments of individual brilliance can really make a difference, and Sainz certainly will be the man to bring those.

If Sainz is retained in January and City strengthen at the back, there is nothing stopping them from a second half of the season charging towards the top two. The board must understand that if they can keep their rising star, their chances of a return to the Premier League will be much higher than without him and that they can likely earn a larger fee in the future.

The winger could be allowed to move away in the summer if the Yellows fail to gain promotion. However, it's key for their chances this season that the unthinkable isn't done, and they retain their star until the summer at least.