Norwich City and Coventry City should approach transfer with caution - Burnley success feels a one-off | OneFootball

Anass Zaroury has struggled since contributing to Burnley's 2022/23 Championship title win

Anass Zaroury may be on the move once more this summer, one year after signing for Ligue 1 side Lens.

L'Équipe reported that the Moroccan winger has plenty of suitors across the world, including Championship duo Norwich City and Coventry City.

It's been a couple of seasons now since Zaroury impressed at Burnley under Vincent Kompany in the second tier, as the 24-year-old scored seven and assisted another five to help the Clarets to the Championship title. He also scored four goals in their EFL and FA Cup games.

But since then, it hasn't been too plain sailing for him. He failed to remain in Kompany's plans in the Premier League after being sent off on the opening day against Manchester City, and after an underwhelming loan spell at Hull City in the second half of that 2023/24 campaign, he didn't exactly find his form once more in France.

So, with both Norwich and Coventry holding aspirations to finish inside the top six in the upcoming season, perhaps Zaroury isn't the man to help either side secure that.

However, if the 24-year-old can find the form he exhibited in the first half of the 2022/23 season, especially, then he could hold the key to unlocking defenses in the Championship.

Anass Zaroury may not be good enough for Norwich City or Coventry City this season

Zaroury's debut campaign in England for Burnley provided solid numbers, and once the Moroccan had made his way into the starting eleven at Turf Moor, he rarely fell out of contention.

The 24-year-old made just seven appearances off the bench in the Championsip in the 2022/23 season, and four of those were in his opening four games at the club.

Four goals and two assists in eight games from October to November had Clarets fans thinking that he'd be a household name in their new era under Kompany, but his numbers slowed from that point until the end of the season.

That Burnley side were dominant at all times throughout the campaign, scoring at will and finishing the season with 87 goals, the most in the division that season. Whilst Zaroury's stats seem impressive, it's almost a given that he would score goals from the wing in a side which created at the level of that season's champions.

Since then, he has failed to make an impact in a play-off challenging Hull side, and last season didn't see much improvement as he made the switch to Lens, who scored the least goals in Ligue 1's top 12. On the base value, the 24-year-old seems to be someone who provides whilst playing in a free-flowing, attacking side.

Obviously, Norwich and Coventry will be hoping that they can play some entertaining football next season, but perhaps signing someone who has shown inconsistency such as Zaroury could be too much of a risk in a season where both sides can't afford to make too many of them.

Anass Zaroury could rediscover his form at a new club next season

Zaroury's two league goals for Lens last season came in the final three games. Whilst that could indicate that he was finding his feet, the reflection on the whole season would suggest that the 24-year-old isn't ready for top-flight football just yet.

However, if he can play like he did during the 2022/23 season at Burnley, there's nothing stopping him from being a breakout force in the Championship in 2025/26.

According to Fotmob, the Moroccan completed 53 dribbles that season at a success rate of 52%, whilst creating 40 chances and putting in 35 successful crosses from the left wing.

Coventry especially excels in chance creation, and Zaroury would fit in well at a club which already has a plethora of dynamic wingers. As for Norwich, whilst Papa Diallo may be the Borja Sainz replacement, the 24-year-old could arrive to add some competition to the position.

Ultimately, it'll all depend on how much he costs. Lens signed him for around €9 million this time last summer, and likely won't want to report too much of a loss on him. If that ends up being their asking price, then the Championship duo may want to stay away.

However, if Zaroury becomes available for a cut fee, then he may be someone that Norwich or Coventry could take a punt on.