Norwich City were the busiest Championship club during the summer transfer window. DAVID FREEZER put the challenge facing the new-look Canaries into context during the international break.
As all connected with Norwich City draw breath after a hectic transfer window, the extent of change in comparison to the Canaries’ Championship rivals becomes clear.
Sporting director Stuart Webber promised sweeping changes and, working alongside head coach Daniel Farke, that’s exactly what they’ve delivered.
A huge 41 pieces of business were completed between July 1 and August 31 – five more than any other club in the second tier, according to records kept by the Press Association.
The next busiest club were Leeds United with 36 deals, who have been through similar change of missing out on a place in the play-offs and seeing manager Garry Monk leave for Middlesbrough.
Next is Barnsley and Boro tied on 34 deals apiece, with the Tykes seeing so many of their crown jewels snatched away by bigger clubs in January and in the summer due to a policy of short contracts, including Norwich signing forward Marley Watkins and QPR midfielder Josh Scowen on free transfers.
Meanwhile, Monk has spent a staggering amount of around £40million as Middlesbrough look to bounce back to the top flight at the first time of asking while they still have Premier League cash burning a hole in their proverbial pockets.
Interestingly, it is Preston North End at the other end of the scale, with just 12 bits of business to keep their admin staff busy behind the scenes at Deepdale – following the appointment of former Norwich boss Alex Neil.
The disintegration of the Scot’s era at Carrow Road is one of the main reasons that Webber has had to bring about such drastic change, yet he has brought stability to North End.
Of course in amongst all the transfer fuss the action on the pitch has started, and that stability has seen Neil’s team pick up eight points from their five league games so far, keeping an impressive four clean sheets in the process.
On the other hand, the Canaries have made a troubling start under German boss Farke, the man responsible for moulding a much-changed squad into a successful Championship outfit.
Four points from their five games, capped with conceding four goals in successive games in the second tier for the first time since 1999, has set alarm bells ringing.
However, the international break has allowed the key players at City and the club’s supporters to take stock. There is no denying the worries exist but putting the volume of transfer business puts the challenge before Webber and Farke into context.
The average age of the squad has come down from almost 27 to close to 26 and gone from having 14 players over 30 at the end of June, to just eight at the start of September.
Webber warned it would take more than one transfer window for the revolution to truly prove successful when he arrived from Huddersfield and set about slashing the wage bill as the Premier League pennies start to disappear.
Now attentions turn to next Saturday and a return to action at Carrow Road against Birmingham City, themselves busy during the window under Harry Redknapp.
A reaction to the distressing 4-0 humbling at Millwall is essential, as Canaries fans search for signs of progress and encouragement from their new-look team.
• Follow David Freezer on Facebook @DavidFreezer1 or on Twitter @davefreezer
CHAMPIONSHIP CLUB-BY-CLUB SUMMER TRANSFERS GUIDE
ASTON VILLA
Manager: Steve Bruce
Position last season: 13th
Players in – 7 (notable arrivals): John Terry (Chelsea, free), Sam Johnstone (Manchester United, loan), Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull, undisclosed), Glenn Whelan (£1.25million), Chris Samba (Unattached, free), Josh Onomah (Tottenham, loan), Robert Snodgrass (West Ham, loan)
Players out – 18 (notable exits): Libor Kozak, Jordan Veretout (Fiorentina, undisclosed), Nathan Baker (Bristol City, undisclosed), A, Jordan Amavi (Marseille, loan), Leandro Bacuna (Reading, undisclosed)
Total – 25
BARNSLEY
Manager: Paul Heckingbottom
Position last season: 14th
Players in – 16: Stevie Mallan (St Mirren, undisclosed), Cameron McGeehan (Luton, undisclosed), Zeki Fryers (Crystal Palace, free), Lloyd Isgrove (Southampton, free), Mamadou Thiam (Dijon, undisclosed), Dimitri Cavare (Rennes, undisclosed), Oli McBurnie (Swansea, loan)
Players out –18: Josh Scowen (QPR, free), Marc Roberts (Birmingham, undisclosed), Marley Watkins (Norwich, free),
Total – 34
BIRMINGHAM
Manager: Harry Redknapp
Position last season: 19th
Players in – 13: Craig Gardner (West Brom, undisclosed), David Stockdale (Brighton, free), Marc Roberts (Barnsley, undisclosed), Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal, loan), Harlee Dean (Brentford, undisclosed), Jason Lowe (Unattached, free), Jota (Brentford, undisclosed)
Players out – 19: Kerim Frei (Istanbul Basaksehir F.K, undisclosed), Diego Fabbrini (Real Oviedo, loan), Ryan Shotton (Middlesbrough, undisclosed), Clayton Donaldson (Sheffield United, undisclosed)
Total – 32
BOLTON
Manager: Phil Parkinson
Position last season: 2nd in League One
Players in – 12: Adam le Fondre (Cardiff, free), Will Buckley (Sunderland, free), Sammy Ameobi (Newcastle, free), Adam Armstrong (Newcastle, loan), Aaron Wilbraham (Bristol City, undisclosed), Craig Noone (Cardiff, undisclosed)
Players out –16: Jay Spearing, Lewis Buxton, Mark Davies, Liam Trotter (all released), Dean Moxey (Exeter, free), Max Clayton (Blackpool, free)
Total – 28
BRENTFORD
Manager: Dean Smith
Position last season: 10th
Players in – 6: Luke Daniels (Scunthorpe, free), Neal Maupay (St Etienne, undisclosed), Ollie Watkins (Exeter, undisclosed)
Players out – 16: Philipp Hofmann (Greuther Furth, undisclosed), Alan McCormack (Luton, free), Harlee Dean (Birmingham, undisclosed), Jota (Birmingham, undisclosed)
Total – 22
BRISTOL CITY
Manager: Lee Johnson
Position last season: 17th
Players in – 9: Famara Diedhiou (Angers, £5.3million), Nathan Baker (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Cauley Woodrow (Fulham, loan),
Players out – 9: Lee Tomlin (Cardiff, undisclosed), Aaron Wilbraham (Bolton, undisclosed)
Total – 18
BURTON
Manager: Nigel Clough
Position last season: 20th
Players in – 11: Liam Boyce (Ross County, undisclosed), Jake Buxton (Wigan, free), Stephen Warnock (Wigan, free), Sean Scannell (Huddersfield, loan)
Players out – 11: Jon McLaughlin, Lee Williamson (released), Phil Edwards (Bury, free), Jackson Irvine (Hull, undisclosed)
Total – 22
CARDIFF
Manager: Neil Warnock
Position last season: 12th
Players in – 10: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Rochdale, free), Lee Tomlin (Bristol City, undisclosed), Omar Bogle (Wigan, undisclosed)
Players out – 13: Rickie Lambert (released), Peter Whittingham (Blackburn, free), Tom Adeyemi (Ipswich, free), Emyr Huws (Ipswich, undisclosed)
Total – 23
DERBY
Manager: Gary Rowett
Position last season: 9th
Players in – 6: Curtis Davies (Hull, undisclosed), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool, undisclosed), Tom Huddlestone (Hull, undisclosed), Tom Lawrence (Leicester, undisclosed), Sam Winnall (Sheffield Wednesday, loan)
Players out – 10: Will Hughes (Watford, undisclosed), Tom Ince (Huddersfield, undisclosed), Cyrus Christie (Middlesbrough, undisclosed), Jacob Butterfield, Sheffield Wednesday loan)
Total – 16
FULHAM
Manager: Slavisa Jokanovic
Position last season: 6th
Players in – 11: Ibrahima Cisse (undisclosed, Standard Liege, undisclosed), Lucas Piazon (Chelsea, loan), Tomas Kalas (Chelsea, loan), Oliver Norwood (Brighton, loan), Aboubakar Kamara (Amiens, undisclosed)
Players out – 12: Scott Parker (retired), Scott Malone (Huddersfield, undisclosed), Lasse Vigen Christensen (Bronby, undisclosed), Sone Aluko (Reading, undisclosed)
Total – 23
HULL
Manager: Leonid Slutsky
Position last season: 18th in Premier League
Players in – 13: Fraizer Campbell (Crystal Palace, free), Kevin Stewart (Liverpool, undisclosed), Sebastian Larsson (free), Nouha Dicko (Wolves, undisclosed), Jackson Irvine (Burton, undisclosed)
Players out – 15: Shaun Maloney (released), Ahmed Elmohamady (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Harry Maguire (Leicester, undisclosed), Tom Huddlestone (Derby, undisclosed), Curtis Davies (Derby, undisclosed), Josh Tymon (Stoke, undisclosed), Eldin Jakupovic (Leicester, undisclosed) Andrew Robertson, (Liverpool, undisclosed), Sam Clucas (Swansea, £16.5m)
Total – 28
IPSWICH
Manager: Mick McCarthy
Position last season: 16th
Players in – 7: Joe Garner (Rangers, undisclosed), Emyr Huws (Cardiff, undisclosed), Tom Adeyemi (Cardiff, free), Bersant Celina (Manchester City, loan), Dominic Iorfa (Wolves, loan), Martyn Waghorn (Rangers, undisclosed)
Players out – 12: Leon Best, Steven Taylor (released), Christophe Berra (Hearts, free), Brett Pitman (Portsmouth, undisclosed)
Total – 19
LEEDS
Manager: Thomas Christiansen
Position last season: 7th
Players in – 16: Pontus Jansson (Torino, undisclosed), Hadi Sacko (Sporting Lisbon, undisclosed), Vurnon Anita (Newcastle, free),Samuel Saiz (SD Huesca, undisclosed), Pawel Cibicki (Malmo, undisclosed)
Players out – 20: Charlie Taylor (Burnley, tribunal), Chris Wood (Burnley, undisclosed), Liam Bridcutt (Nottingham Forest, undisclosed), Rob Green (Huddersfield, free)
Total – 36
MIDDLESBROUGH
Manager: Garry Monk
Position last season: 19th in Premier League
Players in – 13: Britt Assombalonga (Nottingham Forest, £15million), Jonny Howson (Norwich, undisclosed), Cyrus Christie (Derby, undisclosed), Martin Braithwaite (Toulouse, undisclosed), Darren Randolph (West Ham £5million), Ashley Fletcher (West Ham, £6.5million), Lewis Baker (Chelsea, loan), Ryan Shotton (Birmingham, undisclosed)
Players out – 21: Victor Valdes (released), Brad Guzan (Atlanta United, free), Cristhian Stuani (Girona, undisclosed), Gaston Ramirez (Sampdoria, undisclosed), Marten De Roon (Atalanta, undisclosed)
Total – 34
MILLWALL
Manager: Neil Harris
Position last season: 6th in League One
Players in – 6 : James Meredith (Bradford, free), George Saville (Wolves, undisclosed), Jed Wallace (Wolves, undisclosed), Jake Cooper (Reading, undisclosed)
Players out – 13: David Forde (Cambridge, free), Nadjim Abdou (AFC Wimbledon, loan), Shaun Cummings (Rotherham, free)
Total – 19
NORWICH
Manager: Daniel Farke
Position last season: 8th
Players in – 15: Marley Watkins (Barnsley, free), Marcel Franke (Greuther Furth, undisclosed), Mario Vrancic (Darmstadt, undisclosed), James Husband (Middlesbrough, undisclosed), Grant Hanley (Newcastle, £3.5m)
Players out – 26: Sebastien Bassong, Youssouf Mulumbu, John Ruddy, Ryan Bennett (released), Jacob Murphy (Newcastle, £12.5m), Jonny Howson (Middlesbrough, £6m), Graham Dorrans (Rangers, £750,000)
Total – 41
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Manager: Mark Warburton
Position last season: 21st
Players in –10: Barrie McKay (Rangers, undisclosed), Tendayi Darikwa (Burnley, undisclosed), Daryl Murphy (Newcastle, undisclosed), Liam Bridcutt (Leeds, undisclosed), Adam Federici (Bournemouth, loan)
Players out – 9: Matty Fryatt (released), Britt Assombalonga (Middlesbrough, £15million)
Total – 19
PRESTON
Manager: Alex Neil
Position last season: 11th
Players in – 6: Declan Rudd (Norwich, undisclosed), Josh Harrop (Manchester United, undisclosed)
Players out – 6: Anders Lindegaard (released), Jermaine Beckford (Bury, free), Stevie May (Aberdeen, undisclosed)
Total – 12
QPR
Manager: Ian Holloway
Position last season: 18th
Players in – 5: Josh Scowen (Barnsley, free), Alex Baptiste (Middlesbrough, free), Kazenga LuaLua (Brighton, loan)
Players out – 16: Karl Henry (released), Ben Gladwin (Blackburn, undisclosed), Michael Doughty (Peterborough, undisclosed),
Total – 21
READING
Manager: Jaap Stam
Position last season: 3rd
Players in – 7: Vito Mannone (Sunderland, undisclosed), Mo Barrow (Swansea, undisclosed), Leandro Bacuna (Aston Villa, undisclosed), Sone Aluko (Fulham, undisclosed)
Players out – 25: Tariqe Fosu (Charlton, undisclosed), Ali Al-Habsi (Al-Hilal, undisclosed), Danny Williams (Huddersfield, free), Jake Cooper (Millwall, undisclosed)
Total – 32
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Manager: Chris Wilder
Position last season: 1st in League One
Players in –10: Ched Evans (Chesterfield, undisclosed), Richard Stearman (Fulham, undisclosed), Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham, undisclosed)
Players out –11: Marc McNulty (Coventry, free), Stefan Scougall (St Johnstone, free), Graham Kelly (Port Vale, free)
Total – 21
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Manager: Carlos Carvalhal
Position last season: 4th
Players in – 4: George Boyd (Burnley, free), Joost van Aken (Heerenveen, undisclosed), Jacob Butterfield (Derby, loan)
Players out – 12: Jose Semedo, Lewis McGugan (all released), Sam Winnall (Derby loan)
Total – 17
SUNDERLAND
Manager: Simon Grayson
Position last season: 20th in Premier League
Players in –10: Aiden McGeady (Everton, undisclosed), James Vaughan (Bury, undisclosed), Lewis Grabban (Bournemouth, loan), Marc Wilson (Bournemouth, undisclosed), Jonny Williams (Crystal Palace, loan), Callum McManaman (West Brom, undisclosed)
Players out –17: Jan Kirchhoff, Joleon Lescott, Sebastian Larsson (all released), Vito Mannone (Reading, undisclosed), Jermain Defoe (Bournemouth, free), Fabio Borini (AC Milan, loan), Wahbi Khazri (Rennes, loan)
Total – 27
WOLVES
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo
Position last season: 15th
Players in – 12: Ruben Neves (Porto, undisclosed), Ryan Bennett (Norwich, free), Roderick Miranda (Rio Ave, undisclosed), John Ruddy (Norwich, free),Diogo Jota (Atletico Madrid, loan)
Players out – 16: Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Reading, undisclosed), Dominic Iorfa (Ipswich, loan), Mike Williamson (Oxford, free), Dave Edwards (Reading, undisclosed), Nouha Dicko Hull, undisclosed)
Total – 28
• Compiled by Press Association Sport
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