It’s impossible to go from one day to the next at the moment without hearing something different relating to the future of Tranmere’s top scorer James Norwood.
Nors has been prolific in front of goal this season, netting 15 times and leading the scoring in League Two and most of the other professional leagues in the UK. However, after nearly three-and-a-half years at Prenton Park, the striker’s future is the subject of speculation.
He’s out of contract in the summer and it’s not surprising to hear that he’s been attracting the interest of several clubs. While the temptation for some clubs, and perhaps the player himself, will be to wait unitl the summer, it’s understood that a handful of clubs want Norwood in January.
After the likes of Sunderland and Blackburn were mooted as potential suitors earlier in the season, this week we’ve heard talk of two new clubs. We’ll say at this point that neither of these have come from our usual sources, so we’re taking them purely as rumour – it’s probably an indication of what’s to come in the lead-up to the transfer window opening.
The first club is Sheffield Wednesday. The Championship outfit are back in the wrong half of the division and nervously looking over their shoulders. They’re 17th and just six points away from the relegation zone at the moment with a goal difference of -11.
Speculation suggests that the Owls are ready to pay a fee to lure Norwood to Hillsborough in January to try and breathe life in to what has been a poor season so far.
As for the other club…well, it’s that pesky lot from Salford again. Two different people have now suggested to us that National League moneybags Salford City are ready to spend big to take Norwood to Manchester this Jaunary. They’re currently second in the table, one point behind league leaders Leyton Orient.
Salford were reportedly desperate to sign Norwood’s partner in crime, Andy Cook, last summer, but could not compete with the offer of League One football which took Cookie to Walsall. That said, quotes from Cook at the time hinted that Salford still offered a significant contract to try and keep him in the National League.
Whether either of these rumours are true remain to be seen, but prepare yourselves for the internet to become flooded with Norwood speculation come January 1st. Fingers crossed that the club can deliver a new long-term deal for Norwood this Christmas!
Strap yourselves in folks, January could be a long month.
