Norwich City: Should Canaries Make Major Changes or Minor Tweaks This Summer?

Norwich City moved a step closer to Premier League safety on Saturday afternoon after a goalless draw with Southampton at Carrow Road.

It was far from pretty, and in truth, the visitors deserved to bag all three points, but the Canaries could have remarkably been the team celebrating at the final whistle had Grant Holt managed to convert an injury-time penalty.

However, fate decided that it wasn't to be on this occasion, but Norwich will have been relieved enough to have got out of jail with a point, despite being dominated for much of the game.

As every week passes and another Premier League game is chalked off as the season comes to an end, attention will inevitably turn toward asking what Norwich City will look to do in the summer, as they try to establish themselves in the division for the foreseeable future.

Of course, there's still work to be done by Chris Hughton and his team to get over the finishing line, but here is a look at the business that Norwich may look to complete when the transfer window re-opens if they are still a Premier League club come May...

Goalkeepers

Likelihood of New Arrivals: Slim

Suggested Target: Fraser Forster (Celtic)

Norwich City are blessed with the number of quality 'keepers whom they currently have on their books and will almost certainly be focused on strengthening other areas of the squad in the summer. 

Mark Bunn has proved to be a more-than-capable deputy to current No. 1 John Ruddy, silencing many doubters who suggested that the former Blackburn stopper wasn't up to the task.

The January arrival of Lee Camp has undoubtedly helped to keep Bunn on his toes, and even if Camp doesn't go on to make an appearance for the Canaries before his contract expires at the end of the season, he will have made a contribution in that respect.

With Declan Rudd also due to return to the club at the end of the season, having been able to get valuable first-team experience under his belt at League One Preston North End, the future looks bright for Norwich City in the goalkeeping department. 

The only foreseeable complication could come if a big club were to submit a bid for the highly rated Ruddy, in which case, Chris Hughton would be well-advised to search for a replacement.

However, with the England man missing much of this season through injury, that scenario seems unlikely. 

Celtic's Fraser Forster could be a possible target if Ruddy does seek pastures new, with the former Canaries loanee, admitting to Sky Sports that he may have to seek a move to the Premier League to enhance his own international ambitions. 

Defence

Likelihood of New Arrivals: Moderate

Suggested Targets: Curtis Davies (Birmingham City), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan Athletic), Martin Olsson (Blackburn Rovers)

The improvement that Chris Hughton has orchestrated in changing the fortunes of the Norwich City defence since his arrival has been vast, compared to the Paul Lambert era, and the City boss will be hopeful of keeping his impressive back line together.

Sébastien Bassong and Michael Turner have both enjoyed wonderful seasons in the heart of the Norwich defence, and there is no pressing need to disrupt that partnership for next year.

However, Hughton may feel the need to secure a quality backup tandem to his first-choice pair, with Ryan Bennett clearly not lacking ability, but perhaps, lacking understanding of the game and Leon Barnett struggling to cope with Premier League forwards.

Former Birmingham manager Hughton is evidentially an admirer of current Blues' stalwart Curtis Davies and may look to rekindle his interest in the player after missing out on the 27-year-old in the January transfer window.

Promising youngster Dani Ayala should also return to the club, following the conclusion of his loan spell at Nottingham Forest, although he may find it difficult to make the first-team squad at Carrow Road.

As for the full-backs, Norwich have more than enough quality at right-back with the Scottish duo of Russell Martin and Steven Whittaker, both impressive in this campaign, but signing a new left-back will be seen as a must.

Javier Garrido will probably secure a permanent move to Norfolk if City go on to secure Premier League safety, but it would come as a great shock if Marc Tierney was still here come September, after failing to make the squad for large periods of this season. As a result, the ex-Colchester man will need to be replaced.  

Midfield

Likelihood of New Arrivals: High

Suggested Targets: Lucas Biglia (R.S.C Anderlecht), José Cañas (Real Betis), Liam Bridcutt (Brighton and Hove Albion), Gary Mackay-Steven (Dundee United), Bakary Sako (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow)

Central midfield is an area that Norwich City clearly need to upgrade in terms of quality, with many of the players available to Chris Hughton in a similar mould.

Alex Tettey and Bradley Johnson are both defensively solid, but lack ideas going forward, whilst Jonny Howson has simply looked a shadow of his former self during this campaign. 

It's crying out for the addition of a playmaker to come into the side and offer the Canaries something different, and you would like to think that the Norwich boss will have earmarked a number of potential candidates to fill the role.

City were reportedly close to landing Anderlecht's Argentine creator Lucas Biglia last summer according to Sky Sports News, and with the Belgian club admitting that they will be prepared to let their skipper go this time out, Hughton may be tempted to try his luck again.

However, in all honesty, Norwich would have probably missed the boat with that signing, with other clubs around Europe sure to have been alerted to Biglia's situation, so Hughton may need to look elsewhere. 

Furthermore, Jacob Butterfield is due back soon from his second loan spell of the season at Crystal Palace, and a clean slate in the summer may allow him to finally make an impact at Carrow Road. 

It's also just as painfully obvious that the Canaries need to inject some much-needed pace into their team, and as such, a new winger should also be considered a priority.

Strikers

Likelihood of New Arrivals: Very High

Suggested Targets: Gary Hooper (Celtic), Ilombe Mboyo (Gent), Charlie Austin (Burnley)

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that Norwich City haven't scored enough goals this year, and therefore, adding to the club's firepower will take precedence in the summer.

Unless you had your head in the sand for the month, every man and his dog will know that the Canaries submitted multiple bids for Celtic's Gary Hooper in January, and it would be extremely surprising if Chris Hughton doesn't return at the end of the season.

With Celtic now out of the Champions League and Hooper's current contract only having a year to run come the summer, Norwich will be in a much stronger position to negotiate a far better value for a money deal than was on the cards in the last transfer window, and the move could suit all parties. 

Gent's powerful striker Ilombe Mboyo also told Sky Sports News that he had rejected a move to Norwich in January, but how well received a former rapist would be at Carrow Road is open to debate. 

Whoever does come through the doors will have to be a step up from the current group of forwards plying their trade at the club, because it is so important to progress year after year.

A quality striker could be the difference in pushing Norwich City on to the next level, and you can rest assured that Hughton will be trying to add to his options come the end of the season. 

Conclusion

Much of Norwich City's ability to spend in the summer transfer window will, of course, depend on which division they find themselves in, but assuming that they do manage to stay up, quality must be the emphasis.

The club doesn't need to make wholesale changes to their playing staff, but what they do need is an increase in the calibre of player that they bring to Norfolk in order to continue their progression.

The Canaries now have a foundation of experienced Premier League players, but they must find some new arrivals with that special something to help push Norwich City on.

Chris Hughton needs to look at signing players who can immediately challenge for a place in his starting 11, because squad players are no longer a priority.

It's all about quality rather than quantity, and if Norwich were able to bring in around five new faces of sufficient ability in the summer, then it would mark a very successful transfer window.

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