Norwich City sporting director Stuart Webber delivered an emphatic message to the country's top sides, warning that the Canaries' much sought-after youngsters will not be available for cheap in the upcoming transfer window.
A humbling 4-0 home defeat to West Ham United confirmed Norwich's Premier League relegation on Saturday. However, despite the club's position at the bottom of the table, several of the squad's young players have reportedly garnered interest from top-flight sides.
The likes of Ben Godfrey, Max Aarons, Jamal Lewis, Todd Cantwell and Emiliano Buendía have all been linked with a move away from Carrow Road this summer, with the club's relegation only intensifying the rumours.
However, Webber has been forceful in his conviction that the club will be handsomely rewarded if the players are to leave.
“We are difficult to negotiate with when we are selling, and we hold all the cards on our young players," he explained, as quoted by the Norwich Evening News.
"Not one of them has less than three years left on their contracts. They owe us, we owe them. They are homegrown, and British players cost more. That is almost a Premier League tax these days. We are fortunate we have a few of them. I am sure there will also be interest in our younger ones.
“But that will be on our terms."
Norwich have experience of selling to Premier League sides, sending James Maddison to Leicester City in the summer of 2018. Webber outlined how that transfer impacts this summer's business: "We got just over £20m for James Maddison, after one season in the Championship, and we needed the money.
"So what I would be saying to people is please have a look at that before you pick up the phone to us. That has set the benchmark for our club.”
The 36-year-old sporting director added: “If it is top clubs, like when Leicester came in for James Maddison, you have to respect they can pay him and us a lot of money, and the player has his own personal ambitions. But will we sell someone on the cheap just because they say they want to go? No chance."
Source: 90min
