I must say , I like the try before you buy approach. If he does well and we go up we can afford to sign him permanently. Normann and Kabak weren't good enough and we aren't saddled with their wages or transfer fees . Clean break . Hopefully we never get into another Naismith situation ever again
If you'd asked me what's the most critical role we need to fill before next season, I would have said a tough-tackling, smart DM. Pretty happy with today's news.
Totally agree. It was Farke's Achilles heel that he couldn't see the critical importance of a proper DM in the PL and we paid the price for that in goals conceded. Hayden is valued at £9m on TransferMarkt and looks to be a quality player with extensive experience in both top leagues. Given his situation, he has every reason to fight for our promotion and gain a permanent move and another shot at the PL.
The Pinkun take on Hayden with video: https://www.pinkun.com/sport/norwic...isaac-hayden-newcastle-united-insight-9023660 And the MFW view: https://norwichcity.myfootballwrite...one-through-the-colney-doors-mr-isaac-hayden/ And a YouTube compilation:
We desperately lacked physicality in the middle last season and have always really. Tettey was the closest we have had to a physically imposing CDM, but he was too nice. Hopefully Hayden will provide the much-needed steel and "nastiness" we have been lacking.
With an estimated income of £200m from being in EPL and parachute payments why do we need to sell? The estimation is mine from what I have read, but I might be corrected. Aarons and others have been touted by media as being up for sale at the right price.
Don't think we "need" to sell. Think we just need to freshen up the squad. Aarons could get us £20m+ and has done what he can at Norwich. His progress has stuttered this season and it's time he went for a new challenge. Rashica was one of our top performers, but hardly set the world alight. Could we recoup the money we spent on him? Tzolis never played. Could we get the money we paid for him? Cantwell seems u wanted/ wants to leave so £10m should see him leave. This would all be money in the coffers that could see an improvement in the quality of player we can sign. As long as the recruitment is better than in the PL and we don't lose Pukki, it wouldn't be a disaster to sell a few players.
And now a set-piece coach aswell: - https://www.canaries.co.uk//content/allan-russell-joins-norwich-city-as-set-piece-coach
He's also described as a natural leader and captained Arsenal's youth teams and was a strong leader on the pitch for both Hull and Newcastle, which could have a positive effect on our midfield. His tackling skills evident in the compilation could also help to break up attacks before they get into the danger area.
BEHIND THE SCENES | Isaac Hayden's first day at Norwich City! He seem very impressed with our set up. I don't think people should under estimate just how important it is to have top class facilities if you want to attract good players.
Michael Bailey's longer read today on the transfer window suggests the next position the club want to prioritise is a box-to-box midfielder who carries a goal threat. He doesn't draw any comparisons, but I think it's fair to say that's Smith looking for a McGinn, as Robbie suggested before. Sounds like the club will work hard on getting a good player there, and that will be the foundations of our Championship starting XI. After that, it'll be tinkering and trying to be creative. With left back, left centre back, midfield creator and right winger all positions earmarked for improvement if possible.
While I agree that a McGinn type box to box goal scoring midfielder should be the next priority, that won't come cheap. To then look at up to 4 other players would seem to once again spreading what budget there is far too thinly. We need PL quality, or at least above Championship quality players. Hayden is an excellent start to that and another quality midfielder would be welcome. Perhaps a LB loan with an option to buy could be good, but the other players we have are well capable of success in the Championship. We need quality, not quantity scattershotting that prevents our younger players from developing. Yes, they could go out on loan, but I'm less than impressed by what our players out on loan gained last year.
To clarify, I think the intention is to spend whatever budget is available on our "McGinn" - that's the key signing the club want. I don't think they'll cheap out on that signing if an inexpensive option isn't available. Any other changes to the squad will require more creative solutions in order to free up funds. Maybe we only sign a right winger if Rashica goes, for example. Agree completely on the way our loan stable have performed this year, an awful lot of our brighter prospects seem to have really struggled to even get consistent minutes. Nobody has had a season like Maddison at Aberdeen, Godfrey at Shrewsbury, etc. I guess Sinani at Huddersfield was our standout player out on loan, and it feels fortunate that we've got the option to bring him back into the squad this summer. I'm curious what's going on with Akin Famewo. The deal that took him to Charlton last summer gave them an option to buy, but presumably they'd have had to tell us their intentions to do so by a similar date to Huddersfield with Sinani. The only coverage I can find is a report that he's left Charlton on the expiry of his loan, but no mention of the purchase option. He played nearly every game he was available for at Charlton in League One, as a central CB in a back 3 (Whoscored rating 6.84, top 5 for Charlton). 23 year old, left footed CB with a year on his deal, perhaps one that could be given a chance in pre-season?
To quote further from that article: "..... in 27-year-old Hayden they have recruited from the template Smith wants to follow — players at peak age or below, with significant experience in either England or Scotland, including the Premier League if possible, and the athleticism and physicality that still appeared to be lacking in their recruitment under Webber and Daniel Farke 12 months ago." Signing a McGinn-like AM who fits that template is not going to be easy.
Trezeguet from Villa is apparently available, and Smith is a big fan. Whether we can afford him and his salary may be iffy.
Thanks for the clarification, DH. That makes more sense and looking at Robbie's additional quote it would seem that Webber's strategy has shifted since the departure of Farke and the arrival of the more pragmatic and realistic Smith. The Farkeball dream was lovely, but unrealistic for a self-funding club. Hayden is an excellent start, meeting all of the criteria Robbie quotes. We now need to repeat that with a McGinn type midfielder. Trezeguet comes close to that and is in the last year of his contract at Villa after returning from loan in Turkey, but he's more of a WL player who can also play on the right or at AM. He'd be be an excellent replacement if Rashica leaves but I'm not sure he's the McGinn type player Smith wants. As for our own players, I'd like to see Sinani and Famewo given a chance and an emphasis on using this year to continue the development of our young players in house where possible.
