What’s happened to ex-Norwich City star Jonathan Rowe at Serie A side Bologna? | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at how Jonathan Rowe has fared since leaving Norwich City

It's been a tricky season for Norwich City, whose appointment of Philippe Clement may well have rescued them from being embroiled in a relegation battle.

Indeed, heading into this new campaign, there was a sense of optimism surrounding Carrow Road, with former Bristol City boss Liam Manning being installed as the Canaries' new boss.

Manning had just guided the Robins to their first top-six finish in the Championship in 17 years, and headed back to his boyhood club in the hopes that he could replicate his success at Ashton Gate back in Norfolk.

However, that couldn't have been further from the case, as Manning was dismissed after just three wins in 17 games, leading to the appointment of former Rangers and Monaco boss Clement.

Since Clement's arrival, Norwich's form has been excellent, firing the club away from any imminent danger of relegation and stabilising the ship through choppy waters.

His job could have been made a lot easier, though, had Norwich managed to keep one of their star performers from previous seasons around, whose journey since leaving Carrow Road this summer has been far from quiet.

Jonathan Rowe left Norwich City to join Marseille on loan with an obligation to buy for £17 million

A product of Norwich's youth system, Jonathan Rowe progressed all the way through the ranks to the first team at Carrow Road, and would need just one breakout season to announce himself on the global stage.

The 2023/24 campaign was his one and only year as a regular in the Canaries' first-team, with his 12 goals and two assists in 32 league games seeing him attract interest from clubs around the continent and the Premier League.

However, it would be French side Marseille who would pry him away from Norfolk, signing the Englishman initially on loan with an obligation to buy for a total of £17 million.

Under former Brighton and Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi, Rowe struggled to establish himself in the starting 11 at the Orange Velodrome, scoring three and assisting three in 28 league appearances, but tallying up less than 800 minutes in Ligue 1.

With the likes of Neal Maupay, Mason Greenwood, Elye Wahi, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for competition, it was hardly surprising that the 22-year-old found his minutes hard to come by.

In the summer, Rowe represented England at the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, scoring in the opening game against the Czech Republic and again in the final against Germany, with his strike the winner as the Young Lions lifted the trophy.

Ahead of this campaign, it was hoped that Rowe could kick on and stake a claim in the Marseille side to earn more minutes. Yet, that's not exactly what would transpire.

Jonathan Rowe would seal a permanent switch to Bologna after a bust-up with Marseille teammate Adrien Rabiot

Rowe would start the first game of the season for Marseille off the left in a 1-0 defeat away to Stade Rennes, as the Englishman was taken off just after the hour mark.

Following the game, he and French international teammate Adrien Rabiot would clash in the dressing room, something De Zerbi described as a 'bar fight'.

The Italian boss said: "It was a bar fight, in front of the sporting director, in front of the coach, with a team-mate on the ground (Darryl Bakola, who was suffering a medical emergency).

"It's true that no teeth were broken during the fight, but it was a fight like I've never seen in all my years in football.

"For the first time in my career, I didn't know what to say or what to do. I've never seen anything like it. I come from the streets, I'm used to fights, but I've never seen anything like this."

Both players were subsequently transfer-listed, with both incidentally heading to Italy. In Rabiot's case, it was AC Milan, as Rowe joined Bologna for around £16.8 million.

Since his move, Rowe has featured far more regularly in Italy already, and though his start to life began slowly, he finally netted his first Serie A goal in the Rossoblu's recent 2-1 home defeat to Hellas Verona.