Norwich City: Sean Stewart set for Cliftonville loan – reports
Norwich City youngster Sean Stewart is poised to head to Northern Ireland to continue his development.
That’s according to the Belfast Telegraph, who are reporting that the 20-year-old left-back is set to spend the season at Cliftonville, where he would be working under former Ipswich Town manager Jim Magilton.
Magilton, who managed Ipswich for three years between 2006 and 2009, became Cliftonville’s first full-time manager in June and is working to assemble a competitive squad ahead of the new season.
The pair have worked together previously with Magilton managing Stewart during his tenure as manager of Northern Ireland’s under-21 side.
Talks between City and Cliftonville are said to be close to being finalised with confidence growing among the NIPL Premiership side that Stewart will be playing his football at Solitude next season.
The report adds that Norwich are keen for Stewart to experience a full season of football and believe the pre-existing relationship with Magilton will aid his development.
Stewart signed his first professional deal at Norwich in 2021 and has 12 months remaining on his Carrow Road contract.
The left-back joined Norwich in 2019 from Northern Irish amateur side Plunkett FC.
He has made over 60 appearances for the Canaries youth sides subsequently, 14 of which arrived in the Premier League 2 for their under-21s last term.
Stewart is highly-thought of at Norwich but injuries have halted his progress in recent years.
Describing himself as a player, Stewart is a full-back who enjoys attacking and compares himself to another City academy graduate.
“I’ve been at the club since June 2019, so two years now and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Stewart told club channels back in 2021. “I came from a local club from back home in Northern Ireland, one of the scouts came over and I was playing for my local club and then the Northern Ireland Under-16s at the time. From then, I came over on trial.
“I’m an attacking wing-back, the same style as Max Aarons really. First and foremost, I defend, but I love to get forward and I think that suits the first-team’s philosophy, it suits me down to a tee.”
