Newcastle United target transfer for player who will officially leave Norwich City this summer | OneFootball

Things haven't worked out fantastically in France for the 22-year-old since he left Carrow Road.

Jonathan Rowe could be on his way back to England this summer, but not to rejoin his former club Norwich City.

Much has changed at Carrow Road since the winger crossed the English Channel to join French club Marseille on loan last summer. Johannes Hoff Thorup, who was brought in to replace David Wagner, the boss that Rowe first found form under with the Canaries, has been sacked.

Norwich have also dropped from the top six to mid-table, and now they're on the hunt for a new manager, who is likely to be Bristol City's Liam Manning.

Ex-Norwich star Jonathan Rowe linked with England return

Rowe's Ligue 1 move is set to be made permanent this summer, having initially joined Roberto De Zerbi's side on a temporary basis but with an obligation to buy him at the end of his loan spell. The deal is reported to be worth £17 million for Norwich.

Despite Marseille automatically paying out for him following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign, there is a chance that he could return to England. The 22-year-old is a reported target of Newcastle United. According to TBR Football, the Magpies have set their sights on Rowe, who only started six league matches for OM last term.

The winger had been linked with a Premier League move before the French side sealed the deal for him in August 2024. Tottenham Hotspur were supposedly interested in the then Norwich player, but he later explained that it would be tough for him to make such a move given his affinity for their rivals Arsenal.

Finishing second in Ligue 1 confirmed that Marseille would play Champions League football next season. Newcastle also claimed a spot in Europe's premier club competition thanks to Aston Villa's failure to beat Manchester United on the final day of the season, so Rowe's chances of competing with the world's best players next season are pretty high at the moment.

Norwich should always keep the door open for a Jonathan Rowe return

An easy transfer route for clubs like the Canaries to go down is to look at players who have previous connections to the club or the manager. Sometimes this is considered lazy scouting, but, in the case of Rowe, surely few Norwich supporters would object to the idea of him returning.

He hasn't flourished since leaving Carrow Road, but the campaign that preceded his departure truly showed the potential that he has in his feet.