Potential Borja Sainz exit at Norwich City can be eased with £8.5m star | OneFootball

Fears are growing about Borja Sainz departing, but Ante Crnac is stepping up his game.

There is one player at Carrow Road that has clearly stood out above everyone else this season.

Norwich City have had a mixed season in terms of results, but in terms of individual performances, Borja Sainz has been at the very top of his game.

The Spaniard has started all 18 of Norwich's league games so far this season and has continuously been a huge threat to defences across the Championship.

Sainz has scored an incredible 15 goals in those 18 games and has assisted a further two. He has also scored two hat-tricks already this season, which is simply sensational considering he plays out wide for the most part.

Norwich lost a number of key individuals over the summer, such as Gabriel Sara and Jon Rowe, so Sainz has had to step up his game, and he has certainly done just that.

However, his good form will come with its negatives, as attention on the player is likely to ramp up. The likes of Galatasaray, as well as Spanish clubs, Atlético Madrid, Athletic Club and Villareal are all reportedly keen on signing Sainz in the near future.

His departure would, of course, be another huge blow for the Canaries, but one attacking player has upped his game recently and could soften the blow of Sainz's potential departure ever so slightly.

Ante Crnac's improved performances

Ante Crnac signed for Norwich in the summer, and he did not come cheap. The Canaries splashed a reported £8.5 million on the striker, so it was a big risk, considering he was coming in as a relatively unknown player.

He had previously scored a number of goals in Poland and his home nation, Croatia, but was unproven in the English game or at a high European level for that matter.

It has naturally taken Crnac a little while to find his feet in the Championship, but he has been handed plenty of game time due to injuries in the squad.

The 20-year-old scored his first goal for the club against Stoke City but it was his only goal in his first 13 league games. Eventually, he scored his second in a thrashing over Plymouth Argyle, but his performance just days later was the one that got Norwich fans talking.

The Canaries picked up a 4-2 win over Luton Town at Carrow Road on the weekend, and the Croatian grabbed two goals and one assist which would have pleased everyone at the club.

If he can step into gear and continue his form in front of goal, he will be a good option for Johannes Hoff Thorup to have in attack and would alleviate the pressure on the club concerning Sainz and a potential departure.

Norwich's 2024/25 season so far

Norwich entered a new era over the summer as Throup was appointed as boss, replacing David Wagner. The DAne had a tough challenge on his hands as the club lost some key players and were forced to rebuild, so as a result, their performances at times have been disappointing.

That said, they currently sit 9th in the table, just five points outside the play-off spots, so it has been far from a disaster. The Canaries have just picked up consecutive wins against Plymouth and Luton, in which they scored a combined 10 goals, to climb into the top half of the table.

Sainz's exit feels like it will come at some point in the next two windows but there is hope that with Crnac finally starting to show his quality, the Canaries may have someone in house that can help replace his goal threat in future.