The 3 Norwich City players that really need to prove their worth next season

Football League World take a look at three Norwich City players who are due to prove their worth at Carrow Road next season

David Wagner and Norwich City have had a busy summer so far as they continue their preparations for the upcoming season.

The Canaries were among the title favourites in the Championship during 2023/24 season, following back-to-back promotions in their two previous seasons at the level, but they endured a massively underwhelming campaign.

Dean Smith was sacked in December with the club sat fifth in the table after a decline in form, but results failed to improve under Wagner after his appointment in January.

The 51-year-old won just seven of his 21 games in charge in all competitions so far as his side finished 13th.

Norwich have been active in the transfer market to rectify things for next season, with Ashley Barnes, Jack Stacey and Shane Duffy all arriving through the door at Carrow Road this summer.

Further outgoings are also expected for the Canaries, but so far star striker Teemu Pukki, Sam Byram, Kieran Dowell, Josh Martin, Michael McGovern, and Danel Sinani are set to depart at the end of their contracts this month.

Norwich City 2023/24

Here, we take a look at those who may stay and prove their worth to Norwich next season.

 

Ashley Barnes

Barnes needs to give back to Norwich next season, to vindicate their decision to sign the 33-year-old and prove there is life still left in the striker at Championship level.

He will always give his all, given the work rate of Barnes as a player, but needs to do more in front of goal than he managed last season.

Barnes scored eight and assisted five from 45 games in all competitions for Burnley in 2022/23, and will be hoping to do more and get the Canaries in the mix for promotion. It was a low risk signing on a free, but the forward is required to fill the boots of Pukki, and needs to prove he is the man to do so.

 

Mumba could be a key player for the Canaries in the coming season, following an excellent season on loan with Plymouth Argyle.

The versatile defender/midfielder played as a wing-back for Argyle, where he scored or assisted 16 goals from 47 games on loan in 2022/23.

The 21-year-old will be looking to break into the Norwich first-team and test himself at a higher level, having been a key cog for the League One champions last season. There will likely be a place within their squad for him, but he needs to prove he is ready and capable of starting games in the second tier.

 

 

Przemyslaw Placheta

It’s now or never for Placheta, with only a year left on his contract at Carrow Road. From 42 games in a yellow shirt, he has scored or assisted juts four games so far.

The 25-year-old has struggled to nail down a regular first-team place for Norwich and he joined Birmingham City on loan last summer.

The Polish winger began the season as a regular for the Blues, starting the first five games and scoring once for John Eustace’s side, but he suffered a serious injury at the end of August and returned to his parent club in January to continue his recovery.

He has not broken back into the side,but this pre-season may give him the chance to prove his worth and put himself in the frame in 2023/24.