So far Norwich City have had to deal with necessity and circumstance. Maybe for the first time this summer, they are now dealing in desire.
This time last year, Reading laid a bid on the table of about £300,000 for Jacob Murphy – a player who had done pretty well during his season loaned to League One strugglers Coventry.
And there were serious discussions at Carrow Road over accepting it. After all City had his twin Josh also returning come the summer, fresh from picking up MK Dons’ player of the season award. In the Championship.
Now imagine making the same decision 12 months on, when the offer is bordering on a club-record fee received – and when Jacob’s season hit substantial heights, yet Josh arguably finished the yellow and green campaign stronger.
There are inescapable facts, of course. City are losing one of the best talents they have produced in decades. A forward who might drift for 85 minutes of a game, yet will win you it in the other five.
Maybe most crucially, a player who finally got the England Under-21 call-up his form deserved – and then excelled ahead of, as well as at, this summer’s European Championships.
That’s an extra few million on Jacob’s valuation, right there.
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Likewise, City will still have a player with all those attributes. In fact, it’s far from clear which brother in five years’ time will be defined as the better player.
That’s why City’s eyes may have lit up when Newcastle United’s own desperation started to play out in the north east media.
This is it: the most painless way for City to raise in excess of £12m – a fare proportion coming this summer – without removing an entire playing option from the squad, but most importantly opening the door to fundamental change that Daniel Farke and Stuart Webber may have felt would take a lot longer to come by.
Forced by their attitudes, Jonny Howson and Graham Dorrans left to help fund some cheap signings and fill the £5m finances hole.
But with Jacob exchanged for cash, the view changes. Can we upgrade the defence? Is there a striker that fits closer to what we want? Could we cut ties with a player that won’t feature?
It may be sacrificing one player for the greater good can do City a favour – and if that is their plan, this is a logical way to do it.
• For the latest Norwich City news and opinion follow Michael Bailey on Twitter @michaeljbailey, Facebook @mbjourno and Instagram @mrmichaeljbailey
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