Football League World
·25 February 2024
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·25 February 2024
Jon Rowe's future at Norwich City looks uncertain at the moment, given the interest being shown in the in-form forward.
Rowe came through the academy at the Canaries after signing for the club in 2014 when he was still a child.
And whilst he played in 12 matches the last time the Canaries were in the Premier League, this season has proved to be his breakout year.
The English forward has excelled as the club's top scorer so far in a side with some good attacking players, including Josh Sargent and midfielder Gabriel Sara.
Rowe's form attracted interest from a number of teams chasing his signature since the early months of the season, with various reports about his future coming through in the January transfer window.
Premier League clubs like Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa were reportedly interested in the player last month, as were Lazio from the Serie A.
Shane Duffy joined Norwich in the summer after leaving Fulham, and has been a regular starter at centre-back for the Norfolk club when he has been fit and available.
And the Irishman, who is one of the elder statesmen in the group, has been complimentary of Rowe in recent times, having being impressed by his hard work and humility as a young player and that he has the right people around him so that he can make mature decisions on his future.
“Jon has so much ability and this is his first season where you’ll say he’s put his name down and done a lot for the team,” Duffy told FLW, via Sky Bet.
“He’s got a really good head on his shoulders, which from my experience of young players they can tend to get a little carried away after some success, but I don’t think that’s Jon - he’s a hard-worker and humble.
“He’s got the right people around him, the sky is the limit for him and hopefully he can help take this club back to where they belong.”
This comment may have revealed something Norwich fans will be very relieved to hear.
The fact that Duffy sees Rowe as level-headed and surrounded by the right people means that the player will be unlikely to do anything drastic - like demanding a summer move after one good season in the Championship.
However, that does not mean that Rowe will not leave the club in the summer.
The England under-21 international winger was wanted by some very big clubs in January, and they are likely going to come back to the table this summer.
To the relief of Norwich fans, Rowe remained at Carrow Road to play out the rest of the season, although he is now sidelined with a hamstring issue.
However, if his fine form continues until the end of the campaign when he returns, it would not be a surprise to see him leaving for a Premier League side in the summer.
Norwich would likely be rewarded with a multi-million pound fee for the 20-year-old, which could help the club build a squad to win promotion to the Premier League.
With January reports of a £15 million offer for Rowe from Wolves, the Canaries could use that money to buy a host of players to replace their current top scorer.
Finding a like-for-like replacement for Rowe may be impossible, but the money could be used to help Norwich to build a more well-rounded side that shares the goals amongst the team more.
Rowe has just one year left on his contract going into the summer, but Norwich still have the option of keeping him for a further year due to an optional extension, so they are pretty safe when it comes to his transfer value.
Of course, there is a chance he will sign a new contract with the club, although the allure of a big-money move to the Premier League will surely turn his head.
Rowe did come through the academy at Norwich, but the Canaries will not be able to compete with the top division teams when it comes to the wages they could give the forward as part of a new deal.