Norwich City and Bristol City in tussle to bring in ex-Arsenal man | OneFootball

Bristol City have interviewed ex-Arsenal man James Ellis over their sporting director role, with Norwich City also keen on adding him to their setup.

Norwich City and Bristol City are among a host of Championship clubs who will already have an eye on next season heading into the final month of the campaign.

The Canaries’ turnaround under Philippe Clement has been remarkable, and whilst they’re likely to fall short in their bid to finish in the top six, their performances over the past few months mean they will fancy their chances of promotion next season.

Meanwhile, Bristol City have recorded back-to-back wins since Roy Hodgson was named as interim boss, although the mood around Ashton Gate isn’t comparable to Norwich's, with owner Steve Lansdown under scrutiny from the fans.

So, both clubs will be preparing for huge summers, and it’s the Robins who look set to have a bigger overhaul, as they need to find a permanent head coach.

James Ellis emerges as off-field target for Norwich and Bristol City

As well as bringing in a permanent successor to Gerhard Struber, Bristol City are also on the lookout for a new sporting director.

And, Football Insider has revealed that James Ellis ‘has been interviewed’ for the role, as they step up their search for the crucial off-field appointment.

However, any move for Ellis won’t be straightforward, as the update explains that he is also a target for Norwich.

Whilst the Canaries have Ben Knapper as their sporting director, they are looking to add a ‘recruitment chief’ to the department, with Ellis a target for the Norfolk outfit.

Interestingly, Knapper and Ellis have a working relationship, with the Norwich sporting director having worked with the latter at Arsenal earlier in his career.

Ellis has plenty of experience in the game, having had scouting roles with Ostersunds and Fulham before joining the Gunners in 2021, when he was initially a scout.

Bristol City must get their sporting director appointment right ahead of massive summer

After a terrible start to the season under Liam Manning, the arrival of Clement has transformed Norwich, and, under his management, a lot of the signings have improved considerably.

So, Knapper and Clement will be eager to get to work in the summer, and the fans will have confidence in the club to get things right when it comes to recruitment, as their January window was very impressive.

That isn’t the view at Bristol City, and it’s hardly ideal to be bringing in a new sporting director and a head coach with the window a matter of months away.

It is encouraging that they are interviewing candidates, and Ellis would appear to be a good fit considering his background, and the fact he was valued at a club like Arsenal is positive.

But, Norwich’s interest could present the Robins with a problem, and the fact he knows Knapper may prove to be decisive, even if Bristol City may be able to offer a role with more responsibility.

Either way, this is one that should play out relatively quickly, and it will be intriguing to see where Ellis ends up, and who Bristol City do appoint for such an important position as they prepare for a busy summer.