City dismiss Liverpool offer for Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lewis has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Norwich City will not sell Jamal Lewis for £10m, after Liverpool stepped up their interest in the Northern Ireland international.
Reports the Merseysiders had opened the bidding for Lewis first surfaced on Thursday afternoon in the north-west after days of speculation, with a £10m offer said to include a substantial sell-on.
City’s sporting director Stuart Webber had previously made it clear the Canaries will not sell any of their best talent for less than £20m each - and that remains the stance at Carrow Road in light of the latest development.
Liverpool must weigh up whether to make a revised move for the club’s academy product, who is under contract at Carrow Road until 2023. City have no pressure to sell this summer, even allowing for a projected £12m hit due to the impact of football’s coronavirus shutdown last season.
Earlier in the day, before reports of a bid emerged, Lewis’ newly-appointed Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough admitted a prospective move to the Premier League champions would be a great step for the left-back.
Norwich City left-back Jamal Lewis was the subject of a bid from Liverpool Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
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He told BBC Sport: “You want to have as many players playing at the highest level and we don’t have enough.
“If Jamal was to go there to work with the likes of Jurgen Klopp and the squad he has assembled it would be a massive boost to his career.
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Lewis was born in Luton but has made 12 international appearances for Northern Ireland after being handed his debut in 2018.
His mother is Belfast-born and the full-back committed to the switch at a young age and already has 12 senior caps to his name.
New Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough has named his first Northern Ireland squad. Picture: Jeff Holmes/PA Images - Credit: PA
City’s youngster made 28 appearances in the Premier League last season and has attracted interest from the Reds who have been impressed by his performances.
For Baraclough, a potential move to Liverpool and the opportunity of working with Klopp, is a difficult prospect for any player to turn down.
“He’s been playing regularly for two years at Norwich. He’s played to a standard that he’s now a regular and they’ve been relegated,” he added.
“If the move goes through for Jamal it would be very exciting - it’s a move that I wouldn’t be able to turn down - going to the newly crowned Premier League champions.
“Why wouldn’t you want to go to Liverpool and sign for them?”
