Ipswich Town may hold ideal Borja Sainz replacement for Norwich City | OneFootball

Nathan Broadhead could be an ideal Borja Sainz replacement if he departs Carrow Road.

Norwich City may be sitting in 14th place in the league, but they have had the Championship Player of the Season so far in the form of Borja Sainz.

The Spaniard, who was signed from Giresunspor in Turkey, may have taken time to settle down at Carrow Road, but since the turn of this campaign, he has been in scintillating form.

After 15 games, the left-winger has managed 11 goals, making him the top scorer in the Championship. But, while his goalscoring is admirable, it is the quality of these finishes which is impressing most people.

His double against Middlesbrough was truly outstanding and right now it feels like if you give him an opportunity he will likely put it away.

However, this form has started to attract interest, and with just under two months until the January transfer window opens, will Norwich be able to keep him?

Borja Sainz transfer interest

Having made such a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign, it is no surprise to see clubs beginning to circle around Sainz.

Galatasaray are reported to be an interested party, while Spanish top-flight sides Villarreal and Atlético Madrid are also keen on the 23-year-old.

After losing Gabriel Sara to the Turkish giants last season, it’s plausible Sainz could follow a similar path, particularly as he has previous experience playing in Turkey.

However, you feel that Atlético would have the biggest appeal, given their historic status as the third-biggest club in Spain.

If he does depart in January, then it would be a sorry sight for Canaries fans. However, FbRef has identified a perfect replacement just south of them at Portman Road.

Nathan Broadhead would be an ideal Sainz replacement for Norwich

The man who could prove the perfect replacement for a possible Sainz departure is Nathan Broadhead.

The 26-year-old is currently playing for Ipswich Town, Norwich's East Anglian rivals, but given the number of players who have played for the two clubs, he could prove to be an ideal fit.

Having missed the opening months of the season due to a hamstring injury, Broadhead has found himself somewhat down the pecking order and is yet to make an appearance, despite being named on the bench three times.

This will surely see him craving first-team football, and if Sainz departs, Norwich should be looking to sign the former Everton youngster.

As detailed by FbRef, Broadhead is the second-closest player to Sainz in terms of comparability. Looking at their style, they are both left-wingers who look to cut inside and unleash shots into the far corner.

Statistically, their per-90 figures are strikingly similar. Sainz averages 2.72 shot-creating actions per game, while Broadhead is just ahead with 3.10. In terms of expected goals per 90, Sainz stands at 0.38, with Broadhead at 0.35, further highlighting their similarity in attacking threat.

Defensively and in terms of passing, they are also comparable, with similar numbers for key pass types and defensive contributions, underscoring their overall alignment as players.

For this reason, it would be a sensible transfer from Norwich and would leave less of a gap should the Spaniard depart Carrow Road.

Norwich fans may not accept Broadhead

While Canaries fans aren't known for being the most volatile, it would take a lot of acceptance for them to warm to the potential signing of Broadhead.

You can be certain, that if he arrived and didn't perform to his expected levels, then fans would soon be on his back.

Moreover, the likelihood of the two clubs reaching an agreement is questionable, given their limited history of striking deals with one another. Therefore, it seems more likely that Broadhead will move on somewhere else and the Canaries will have to search for a different replacement if Sainz departs.

However, the best outcome would be if Sainz stayed till the end of the season. He has already proved himself the difference-maker, and without him, it could be a serious struggle for Johannes Hoff-Thorup's side.