Norwich City transfers: Head coach Thorup's impact assessed

Those were the words of new Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup in his official unveiling by the Canaries, as he was asked what he made of the players he inherited.

To be complimentary about those you're expecting to work for you is understandable; Dean Smith said he felt the dressing room he walked into was good enough to stay in the Premier League, and Daniel Farke was similarly glowing before helping Stuart Webber to gut the squad.

But Thorup was unequivocal in his praise. Even amid questions about transfers and expectations of a rebuild, he held his nerve and insisted that everyone currently under the yellow and green banner would remain so until he decided otherwise.

There's a key word that leaves the door open to business before his assessment is complete, however: "almost".

It's undeniable that holes currently in the squad will need to be filled by transfers ahead of the Championship campaign commencing, with only six weeks until the opening-day trip to Oxford United and pre-season starting next week.

Sporting director Ben Knapper still has work to do in the transfer market (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Chief among those is left-back, where it's no surprise the majority of links have cropped up this summer. The departures of Sam McCallum and Dimitris Giannoulis have put huge strain on that corner of the squad, even if the under-21s' Guilherme Montoia has shown promise.

Aside from him there's Lewis Shipley, one of the many returning loanees Thorup wants time to assess, but an addition seems more than likely before the transfer window reaches its deadline.

Former Nordsjaelland left-back Martin Frese is known to be a target, fitting the profile not only because of his talent and good age, but because he's available for free in a tricky summer for the Norwich bank account.

Palmeiras' Vanderlan has also been linked in recent days, and at 21 he looks a prospect most sides would like to add, especially those in need of reinforcement at full-back. But he's under contract and would come at a price, as Stuart Webber found when he tried to prise Pedro Lima from the same club last summer.

The rest of the backline debate could take time to unfold, with a variety of individuals still to face their new boss' judgment. Jonathan Tomkinson, Jaden Warner, Brad Hills and Emmanuel Adegboyega are all coming back from EFL loans, with all hoping for a first-team chance.

New signing Jose Cordoba is the only senior left-footed centre-back in the building, however, and is making the jump from a far inferior Bulgarian league.

Central midfield involves a wide range of moving parts, as interest builds in Gabriel Sara, Marcelino Nunez and Kenny McLean. If acceptable bids are submitted for all three there will undoubtedly be work to do for Knapper, regardless of Thorup's impressions of Liam Gibbs and Jacob Sorensen.

French midfielder Jonathan Varane was a midfield target back in January, when his signing would have allowed Gibbs to leave on loan, but interest has gone quiet this summer and other links have not been forthcoming.

Aside from that there are issues in forward areas, where Josh Sargent, Adam Idah and Jonathan Rowe have all been subject to speculation. While those areas look well stocked at present, Knapper could quickly be called into action if that speculation turns into tangible offers.

The upshot is that things aren't quite as simple as Thorup pressing on with his current squad until the season begins. He may be happy with his squad, and things may have gone fairly quiet, but City will still be constantly looking at how they can improve and whom they'd replace with whom.

The transfer machine is very much still whirring, even if the squad does almost tick all the boxes.