Peterborough United owner Darragh MacAnthony believes Emmanuel Fernandez turned down a Norwich City move because ‘it was too soon for him’.
Norwich City struck more deals in the winter transfer window as they look to shape the squad to Johannes Hoff Thorup’s liking. NCFC signed five new players, two on loan and three permanently.
A significantly outlay was made to sign Matej Jurasek from Slavia Prague while loan ace Anis Slimane joined permanently. Ruairi McConville is also in on a full-time deal, while Lewis Dobbin and Jacob Wright signed temporarily.
norwich city man anis ben slimane, on loan from sheffield united
Image courtesy of: ACTION IMAGES/REUTERS.
However, one who got away from the Canaries was Peterborough United centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez.
It had been reported a deal was in place for the 23-year-old defender to move to Norwich City, but the switch fell through and Fernandez ended up staying with the Posh.
Now, Posh owner and chairman Darragh MacAnthony has shed light on the saga. Admitting it would have been ‘a fabulous deal’, the Irishman said he was left surprised by Fernandez’s decision to stay put but believes he was sceptical about making such a jump too early.
“We accepted a deal offered by Norwich City for Manny,” MacAnthony said on his podcast, ‘The Hard Truth’ (quotes via the Peterborough Telegraph).
“It was a fabulous deal for us and the player which involved him coming back to us on loan for the rest of the season. Norwich are a very progressive club who buy lower league talent and develop them.
“Manny would have gone there in the summer, benefitted from their coaching and played in their first team for a season before moving to somewhere like Brentford. He’s a Brentford-type centre-half, big and strong.
“But it blew my mind and the mind of my gaffer when Manny and his brothers turned the deal down. Manny had suffered a concussion just before the offer was made and I assumed he was still suffering from it.
“I drove down to the training ground and spoke to him. I told him NCFC are one of the best clubs in the Championship and what a massive opportunity it was for him. Barry Fry told me we’d sold five players to them in the past and they’d all gone on to win promotions, but I believe Manny was nervous and that it was too soon for him.”
