Having been either promoted or relegated in seven of their last eleven league campaigns, there has rarely been a dull moment as a Norwich City fan in recent times, and the Canaries could easily be described as a yo-yo club these days.
Norwich won the Championship title to secure promotion back into the Premier League under Daniel Farke this season, having most recently played top flight football in the 2015-16 campaign. We have had a surprisingly large number of requests for this exact video following the club’s promotion, and as ever, if enough people ask, we will take your suggestions on.
To be clear, we’re only looking at permanent transfers, not loan moves.
Here are Norwich City’s last 7 Premier League signings: Where are they now?
7. Steven Naismith – Free Agent
The last of Alex Neil’s nine signings during his time with Norwich in the Premier League, Steven Naismith arrived at Carrow Road from Everton on January 19th 2016. Naismith had looked a lively, dangerous and technical operator in forward areas at Everton, and he scored on his Norwich City debut against Liverpool. That would prove to be his only Premier League goal for the club though, and after a single season in the Championship, he joined Hearts on-loan for both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. Naismith’s contract at Carrow Road only came to an end this season, and he’s widely expected to join Hearts on a free transfer this summer.
6. Timm Klose – Norwich City
Marco Stiepermann and Timm Klose of Norwich City celebrate with the trophy after winning the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Norwich City at Villa Park on May 5, 2019 in…
German-born Swiss international centre-back Timm Klose has made more appearances for Norwich than any of Alex Neil’s other Premier League recruits, having racked up 116 appearances in three-and-a-half years, having joined the club in January 2016. A bit of a no-nonsense centre-back who likes to keep things simple, Klose was one of a handful of German-born players who contributed to Norwich’s return to the Premier League this season.
5. Ben Godfrey – Norwich City
Ben Godfrey is yet to play for Norwich City in the Premier League, having joined the club on the day of his 18th birthday having played just 15 games previously for York City. He wasn’t expected to make an instant impact then, and he didn’t, but the 21-year-old enjoyed a brilliant breakthrough campaign this season. The industrious young holding midfielder registered 36 appearances as the Canaries won promotion, as well as winning his first caps for England’s under-20 side.
4. Ivo Pinto – Dinamo Zagreb
Ivo Pinto of Norwich City(R) celebrates during the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Norwich City at Ashton Gate on January 13, 2018 in Bristol, England.
Portuguese right-back Ivo Pinto joined Norwich from Dinamo Zagreb in the January of 2016, and went on to register 94 appearances for the club. Just five of those 94 came last season though, and only three of those in the league. It always seemed likely the former youth international would leave on a free this summer then, and he did just that last month, sealing a return to Dinamo who are the reigning Croatian champions.
3. Matt Jarvis – Free Agent
Alex Neil actually made more permanent signings in the January transfer window than he had in the summer back in 2015-16, and the first of his five January recruits was experienced wide man Matt Jarvis. Another Alex Neil signing whose Norwich deal came to an end this summer, Jarvis hasn’t signed a new deal elsewhere just yet. The 33-year-old once-capped England international spent the second half of last season on-loan at Walsall, but it appears unlikely that the relegated Saddlers will take the former Wolves star on a permanent deal.
2. Jake Kean – Free Agent
Blackburn keeper Jake Kean in action during the npower Championship match between Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool at Ewood park on March 29, 2013 in Blackburn, England.
There was a lot of excitement about Jake Kean when he made his Blackburn Rovers debut in the Premier League and registered his first appearances for England’s under-20’s in the 2011-12 season. A few years on though and he’d failed to become a first team regular at Ewood Park, and Alex Neil brought him to Carrow Road on a free transfer. Kean never registered an appearance for the Canaries, going out on-loan twice before terminating his contract by mutual consent 12 months later. He spent last season contracted to Mansfield, but failed to play once more, and is now out of contract and a free agent going into this summer.
1. Robbie Brady – Burnley
Probably the best of Alex Neil’s nine permanent Premier League signings, Robbie Brady gave two years of stellar service to Norwich as one of the club’s best players, before departing for £13 million to Burnley. That meant Norwich turned a £6 million profit on the Irish international who they signed for £7 million from Hull City. A talented left winger capable of whipping a delightful ball into the box, Brady’s Burnley career has been disrupted due to a knee injury which sidelined him for 10 months, but he’ll hope to come back stronger with a full pre-season under his belt next term.