Norwich City 2025–26 Season Preview: Rebuild, Resolve, and a Play-Off Push?

As the parachute payments dry up and a new era begins under Liam Manning, Norwich City enters the 2025–26 Championship season with a fresh identity, a retooled squad, and cautious optimism.

Starting the season with a disappointing home defeat at the hands of former manager, Alex Neil, can the Canaries soar back into the play-off picture, or will this be another transitional campaign?
With the patience of some fans wearing thin, this could be a pivotal season for the Canaries.

🔄 Squad Overhaul: A New-Look Norwich

Even though parachute payments have now gone, Norwich has been one of the busiest clubs in the summer transfer window, bringing in 11 new signings to reshape the squad. Some see this as an optimistic sign that the club is still serious about pushing for promotion. So many changes to a squad can bring uncertainty, though, with new arrivals taking time to settle in and affecting overall team performance and consistency.

Key additions include:

• Mathias Kvistgaarden (£6.9m, Brøndby): A dynamic striker expected to partner Josh Sargent.
• Mirko Topić (Famalicão): A deep-lying midfielder with tactical intelligence.
• Papa Amadou Diallo (Metz): Explosive winger to replace the departed Jonathan Rowe.
• Jeffrey Schlupp (Free, Crystal Palace): Veteran versatility in midfield and wide areas.
• Vladan Kovačević (Sporting Lisbon): New No.1 goalkeeper following Angus Gunn’s release.

🧠 Manning’s Tactical Blueprint

Liam Manning brings a modern, possession-based style with fluid formations and aggressive pressing. He has built a reputation as a progressive, tactically sharp manager with a solid track record across multiple clubs.

🧠 Career Overview

Source: Transfermarkt profile

Expect:

• 4-2-5 shape in possession to stretch the opposition lines. Emphasises possession-based football, player development, and tactical flexibility.
• Goalkeeper involvement in build-up play.
• High pressing and compact mid-blocks out of possession.
• Youth integration with academy players is expected to feature in transitional phases.

📉 Departures & Their Impact

Norwich said goodbye to several key figures:

• Jonathan Rowe → Marseille (£14m): A major loss of pace and creativity.
• Borja Sainz → Porto (£14m+): Tactical glue between midfield and attack.
• Angus Gunn → Released: Leadership and consistency between the posts.
• Onel Hernández & Jacob Sørensen → Free agents: Depth and experience gone.

📅 Key Fixtures That Could Define the Season

• Aug 23 vs Middlesbrough (H) – Early test against supposed fellow play-off hopefuls.
• Oct 5 vs Ipswich Town (A) – East Anglian derby with emotional stakes. Always a high-stakes clash for many different reasons
• Nov 8 vs Leicester City (H) – Clash with a relegated Premier League side and one of the favourites for the automatic places.
• Apr 11 vs Ipswich Town (H) – Potential play-off decider? With Ipswich expected by many to win the division, this could be a chance to spoil the party for their near neighbours and/or a decider for a play-off place.
• May 2 vs Hull City (A) – Final game; could seal top-six fate. With Hull expected to struggle this season, this could be an essential opportunity to seal a play-off or promotion place.

📊 Predictions & Simulations

For what they are worth, there are many sources of predictions at the start of any season, with Currys seeing a run on sales of supercomputers. Here are a few views on how others see Norwich performing this time around:

OPTA Supercomputer: 12th place, 62 points.
GiveMeSport Simulation: 8th place, 70 points, shy of the play-offs.
EFL Analysis: Play-off potential praised due to smart recruitment.

🧮 Simulated League Table Snapshot

Position	Team	Points
5	Coventry City	74
6	Wrexham	73
7	Bristol City	73
8	Norwich City	70

🧠 Final Thoughts: Hope and optimism with a Hint of Caution?

Norwich City’s rebuild is bold, and Liam Manning’s tactical clarity offers real promise. While losing key players like Rowe and Sainz stings, the incoming talent suggests a long-term vision. If the squad gels quickly and Sargent stays fit and stays with the club, the Canaries could be flying high by spring.

Verdict: Play-off contenders, maybe don’t expect fireworks from day one.

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💬 What do you think? Drop your predictions in the comments below or share this post with fellow Canaries fans!