Norwich City to consider attacking free agent swoop
Norwich City are set to consider potential free agent recruits amid a spate of attacking injuries.
The Canaries could turn to the market for options after Ashley Barnes suffered a setback in his recovery, and Onel Hernandez was sidelined until December due to a hamstring injury.
Barnes is now back in a protective boot, and Thorup couldn’t rule out the need for further surgery when providing an update on him last week. Christian Fassnacht is closer to a return to Championship action, having returned to training alongside midfielder Jacob Sorensen.
That has left little support for frontline options like Josh Sargent, Ante Crnac and Borja Sainz, leaving Norwich to weigh up dipping into the free agent market for potential recruits.
One name understood to have been discussed internally is ex-Bournemouth attacker Emiliano Marcondes, who was linked with a move to Carrow Road over the summer and is well-known to head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup.
Marcondes is still without a club having left Bournemouth earlier in the summer after a loan spell with Scottish Premier League Hibernian, but other options are being considered and any recruit would need to be able to hit the ground running rather than require a long period to get up to speed.
Thorup worked with Marcondes, 29, at Nordsjaelland and, although no move is thought to be close at this stage, the City boss didn’t rule out a potential swoop for the Danish international when asked by Tipsbladet about the speculation last month.
“Well, I’m talking to E, and I’ve talked to him quite a bit,” Thorup said. “What is important to him is that he gets to take a step in his career for a longer level than six months or a year ahead. He needs to find a place he can be for the next two or three years.
