City boss hoping for January window conversation

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Dean Smith posed for a picture with the Manager of the Month Award at Aston Villa's training ground on January 18, 2021 in Bodymoor Heath, Birmingham, England.


Dean Smith is hoping to have a conversation with Norwich City sporting director Stuart Webber over plans for the upcoming transfer window.

City's chief has seen his squad decimated by injuries, Covid infections and other illnesses that led to 10 players being absent for their recent encounter against Crystal Palace. 

Since he was appointed as head coach in November, Smith has been rather coy on plans for January, instead opting to focus on the current group of players at his disposal. 

But on the back of five straight defeats in the Premier League and the squad not looking up to the standard required, Smith has conceded that they may need to reconsider their approach to the market.

Any business in January will need to be facilitated by a major sale of either Max Aarons or Todd Cantwell, with the former likely to remain in Norfolk next month. 

Cantwell's deal expires next summer but the Canaries would be open to selling the 23-year-old if the right offer came their way next month. They do have a one-year option which they will look to activate next summer.

Attacking reinforcements would be at the top of any shortlist, but City are still expecting next month to be quiet. Beyond Newcastle United, many are predicting a slow window across football.

Smith is hoping to have a conversation with Webber ahead of the window although conceded it would be difficult to do business next month because of the Canaries bloated squad. 

"I think it's really difficult," the City head coach conceded. "As I said when I came into the football club, we were leaving two or three players out of 11v11s in training.

"We've got a squad here but, unfortunately, it's not a healthy squad at the moment because of injuries and illnesses. 

"Everybody knows the model of the football club and you can't carry that big of a squad whilst bringing other players in. What we will have to do is sit down with Stuart (Webber) and see where we are.

"At the moment, we've got to turn around again very quickly for another tough game at Leicester."

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