Celtic facing 2 big Adam Idah hurdles put up by Norwich City: View | OneFootball

A new era is underway at Norwich City following the appointment of Johannes Hoff Thorup as the club's head coach.

The Canaries made the decision to sack David Wagner last month after their 4-0 defeat at Leeds United in the play-off semi-final second leg, and Thorup has been chosen as his replacement.

Thorup had been in charge of FC Nordsjaelland since January 2023, and he led them to a fourth-placed finish in the Danish Superliga this season, but they were unable to secure European football.

It could be a busy summer for Thorup after taking over at Carrow Road, and he has already made his first signing, with defender Jose Cordoba arriving from Bulgarian outfit Levski Sofia.

Jon McCracken, Danny Batth, Ben Gibson, Sam McCallum and Dimitris Giannoulis have all been released at the end of their contracts, and there could be further departures, with a number of the Canaries' key players likely to attract interest from elsewhere.

Turkish side Trabzonspor have reportedly had a bid rejected for midfielder Marcelino Nunez, and the likes of Gabriel Sara, Jonathan Rowe and Josh Sargent will all be on the radar of other clubs after impressive seasons.

Thorup also has a big decision to make on the future of striker Adam Idah, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Celtic, and while the Scottish giants are keen to sign him permanently, they could face a few hurdles in their attempts to complete a deal.

Permanent Adam Idah deal could be difficult for Celtic

Idah featured regularly for Norwich in the first half of the season, but most of his minutes came as a substitute, and he made a loan move to Celtic on the final day of the winter transfer window.

The striker made a huge impact at Celtic Park, scoring a number of crucial goals to help the Hoops retain the Scottish Premiership title and playing a key role in their Scottish Cup success.

Idah scored a 90th-minute winner in the Scottish Cup final against Rangers at Hampden Park last month, and manager Brendan Rodgers revealed after the game that he would like to bring him back to the club on a full-time basis this summer.

"For me he was the catalyst of our season because we needed a different dimension up front. The big guy comes in, he has so much potential and played in some really important games," Rodgers told the Daily Record.

"What I love about Adam is he is a big game player. He loves the big games and occasions. Hopefully, we can do something. He has a long-term contract at Norwich but he is definitely one I would love to bring back here. At 23 with the potential and quality he has I think he can really push on in his career."

Had Wagner remained in charge at Carrow Road, it would have been easier for Celtic to secure a permanent deal for Idah.

Wagner described Idah as "the most dangerous substitute in the league" in December, and while that was a compliment from the German, it did suggest that he did not see him as a regular starter, and he would likely have been willing to sanction his exit this summer.

However, Thorup is keen to assess Idah in pre-season before deciding on his future, and given the 35-year-old's reputation for giving young players a chance, he may be reluctant to lose Idah.

Sargent was Norwich's top scorer this season with 16 goals in 30 games, but he is reportedly the subject of interest from Wolves, Brentford and Leeds (The Sunday Mirror (19/0, p70), and his exit could make Thorup even more determined to keep hold of Idah.

Another potential hurdle for Celtic emerged last week, with HITC claiming that Norwich will demand £8 million for Idah, and as the Irishman is under contract at Carrow Road until the summer of 2028, the Canaries are in a strong negotiating position.

The Hoops do have significant financial resources, but £8 million is a lot of money for a club to spend in the Scottish Premiership, particularly on a player who may not start every week.

Rodgers has made it clear that he would like to sign Idah permanently, and it seems certain that Celtic will make a bid for the 23-year-old, but it remains to be seen if they will be able to meet his valuation.

Even if they can match his asking price, Thorup may view Idah as part of his plans for next season, so it could be tough for the Hoops to get a deal over the line, and they will have to be patient.