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Jonny Howson wants out at Norwich City
Jonny Howson is poised to leave Norwich City this summer. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Norwich City will reluctantly listen to offers for Jonny Howson, after the midfielder rejected a new Carrow Road deal.
The Yorkshireman has already been heavily linked with old club Leeds United this summer, and Howson is believed to want to return north with his young family.
City’s top brass were prepared to extend the 29-year-old’s current contract, which still has two years left to run, but the central midfielder’s representative is understood to have made it clear he will not pledge his longer term future to the club.
Howson, however, is prepared to bide his time for the right offer, with relegated duo Middlesbrough and Sunderland likely to have the financial muscle to meet the Canaries’ valuation, while Premier League Burnley have also been touted as a potential suitor.
Championship rivals Leeds were reportedly ready to test Norwich’s resolve last month, with a cheeky £4m offer, but City want considerably more for the Morley-born midfielder.
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Both sporting director Stuart Webber and MD Steve Stone have made it clear the club must be ‘creative’ this summer to generate funds to back new head coach Daniel Farke, and build a squad good enough to challenge for promotion next season.
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The likes of Alex Pritchard, James Maddison and the Murphys are seen as key figures under Farke, but Webber reiterated at the German’s unveiling last week every player has his price.
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“Ronaldo and Paul Pogba have a price. They all do,” he said. “The aim is to keep our best players together and the ones we want. But it never becomes an ideal situation where you sell a set of players you don’t want and bring in the set you do want. Very rarely does it happen that seamlessly. Sometimes things happen you don’t expect. Steve has spoken about the financial situation and we need to sell to bring in players.
“Unfortunately in that scenario you are waiting for someone to come and buy a player and that can be a quick process or it can be August 31.”
That would appear to apply to Howson, who has been an influential figure since arriving from Elland Road in 2012 and was crowned City’s player-of-the-year in 2016. The 29-year-old made his 150th appearance league appearance for City last season.
