Norwich City transfer rumours: Arsenal defender Krystian Bielik poised to complete Canaries loan deal
Krystian Bielik in loan action for Birmingham against Newcastle last season. Picture: Simon Galloway/PA Wire - Credit: PA
Arsenal defender Krystian Bielik has revealed he is close to agreeing a loan move to Norwich City.
The 19-year-old is in the Poland Under-21 squad for the European U21 Championship, which is being held in Poland and starts next week.
Bielik, a centre-back, spent the second half of the last campaign on loan at Birmingham City, starting eight of his 10 appearances.
ESPN reported late last month that the defender would spend next season on loan with the Canaries and the youngster has confirmed that deal is close to being sealed.
“Probably I will play Norwich City on loan next, talks are close to finalisation,” Bielik told Polish football website Join Us Football.
“Certainly, I hope that after I go back to Arsenal on a permanent basis I find myself in the first team and get a chance in the Premier League.”
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The Pole was also said to be interesting City’s Championship rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest. Arsenal signed him from Legia Warsaw as a 17-year-old in 2015 for a deal reportedly worth up to £2.4million and has made two senior appearances for the Gunners so far, both as a substitute in the EFL Cup.
News of Bielik’s imminent arrival comes as City’s sporting director Stuart Webber and head coach Daniel Farke set about rejuvenating the club’s depleted defensive department.
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Centre-backs Ryan Bennett, Sebastien Bassong and Michael Turner are all being allowed to leave on free transfers at the end of their contracts this summer, leaving just Timm Klose and Russell Martin as recognised centre-backs.
Julian Borner, of German second tier side Arminia Bielefeld’s was linked in recent days but those reports are understood to be wide of the mark.
City are thought to have an interest in highly-rated Lincoln centre-back Sean Raggett though, with the towering 23-year-old available for as little as £350,000 due to a release clause in his contract.
Bielik could play against future Canaries team-mates Jacob Murphy and Angus Gunn soon, as Poland are in Group A alongside Slovakia, holders Sweden and England at the European U21 Championship – taking on the Young Lions on Thursday, June 22, in Kielce.
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