Napoli submit multiple transfer offers for ‘class’ Norwich City star, but Ben Knapper won’t be bullied

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Norwich City are preparing for a busy summer, with two top talents in particular attracting major transfer interest already in the window.

The summer transfer window is poised to be turbulent for Norwich City in Liam Manning’s first months in charge since moving from Bristol City.

Manning has five signings he could make for his first summer at Carrow Road, as the head coach looks to mount a serious play-off charge during his first campaign in the hotseat.

Already this week, newly-promoted Leeds United have approached for Canaries frontman Josh Sargent, and there is a ‘real chance’ Sargent moves to the Premier League this summer.

Aside from Sargent, another outstanding Canaries ace has been the subject of major transfer interest this summer, and now a European champion club has bid for the winger.

• READ MORE: Daniel Farke already explained why he wants to sign Josh Sargent again, Norwich City will lose a ‘fantastic’ player

Norwich City receive bids from Porto and Napoli for Borja Sainz

Norwich ace Borja Sainz finished runner-up in the Championship golden boot race last season after his outstanding season, in which he scored 18 goals and registered four assists in 41 league starts.

In the 2024/25 season, the dynamic wideman cemented himself as one of the Championship’s best players, and even scored a hat-trick from left-winger in a 6-1 rout against Plymouth Argyle in November.

After that star-dusted display, then-Canaries boss Johannes Hoff Thorup joked to the press that he was “not looking forward to the January transfer window”, as Norwich were expecting to be inundated with offers for the “class” player.

On the back of his outstanding season, Norwich received first bids for Sainz earlier in June, with a host of European outfits making the move to secure the Spaniard’s services, but now the Italian champions Napoli have reportedly submitted a formal offer for Sainz.

Reports from the Pink Un indicate that Napoli, as well as Portuguese giants Porto, have “submitted formal offers to Norwich City for Borja Sainz, but no agreement has been struck yet.”

Interest is rife across Europe for the left-winger, who is believed to be most keen on returning to his native Spain.

The Canaries are in a difficult bargaining position regarding Sainz, given that the Spanish Under-19 international is now entering the final 12 months of his contract at Carrow Road, with no signs of an extension.

However, recent Norwich transfer history would suggest that the club and sporting director Ben Knapper will not be bullied into relinquishing one of their prized assets for nothing short of his true value.

• READ MORE: Liam Manning open to Harry Darling reunion at Norwich City, they were ‘terrific’ together

Norwich record shows club won’t be bullied in any Borga Sainz or Josh Sargent sale

Norwich have consistently been a club that only sells their top talents for the price the Canaries hierarchy feels is justified, and have a track record for securing substantial fees for departing talent.

Most notably, banking a £32.5 million fee for Emi Buendia from Aston Villa, and £23.2 million for Ben Godfrey when he moved to Everton.

Last summer, Norwich sold Gabriel Sara to Galatasaray for a fee in the region of £20 million, on a five-year contract.

Brazilian Sara joined the club from native giants Sao Paulo in 2022 for a deal worth around £6 million, banking an impressive profit for the inventive midfielder, after just two seasons at Carrow Road.

In the Sara deal, after sufficient interest from the Premier League and Serie A in Sara’s services, Canaries chief Knapper proved that the club will hold out for the right price when clubs come knocking, and he is seemingly intent on doing the same with the duo of Sargent and Sainz this summer.

Norwich sporting director Knapper confirmed the transfer bids for Sainz, telling the press this week: “Listen, we’ve had multiple formal offers (for Borja Sainz),

“There’s big interest from particularly, a couple of different clubs, but there’s others circling as well. We’ve had formal proposals, but nothing’s quite met our valuation.

“Those discussions are ongoing. Let’s see how they conclude. Of course, he’s a player with big interest in the market, but it’s still early, and as I said, it’s got to be right for us.

“We’ve shown an ability, I think, at this club long before my time, to sell players really well. It’s part of our strategy, and that’ll be no different with Borja.”