Gabriel Sara breaks silence on tough start to Norwich City career and makes admission over potential Sao Paulo return | OneFootball

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Football League World

·15 November 2022

Gabriel Sara breaks silence on tough start to Norwich City career and makes admission over potential Sao Paulo return

Article image:Gabriel Sara breaks silence on tough start to Norwich City career and makes admission over potential Sao Paulo return

Norwich City splashed the cash this summer – somewhat unusually for them when in the Championship – when bringing Gabriel Sara to Carrow Road.

The Brazilian playmaker was captured from Sao Paulo back in July, with reports suggesting that the total fee will be a guaranteed £11 million, with a potential extra £2 million in add-ons.


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It was a hefty price to pay for the 23-year-old, and life in Norfolk for the midfielder hasn’t exactly started smoothly.

Sara arrived at the Canaries with an ankle injury and had missed the last three months of action with Sao Paulo before switching clubs, so he was always playing catch-up when it came to the start of the Championship campaign.

Quiz: What club did Norwich City sign these 23 foreign players from?

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Article image:Gabriel Sara breaks silence on tough start to Norwich City career and makes admission over potential Sao Paulo return

1. Gabriel Sara

Palmeiras Flamengo U. Católica São Paulo

After many substitute appearances, Sara had to wait until mid-September for his first start in the yellow and green shirt, and whilst he had more of a run in starting matches in recent weeks, Sara is still yet to fully hit his stride.

He has now opened up on his tough start to life in England, but is hoping that things can only get better from here on in.

“When I arrived at Norwich it was difficult,” Sara told UoL Esporte.

I was in transition after the surgery. I felt my ankle failing, it was a difficult process,” he said.

“I arrived with high expectations, I was trying my best, but it was difficult.

“I didn’t play much in Brazil, I had injuries and now that I’ve recovered my game rhythm I’m back in a better phase.

“It was difficult, but they gave me all the structure I needed here.”

Sara has also spoken out on a potential return to Sao Paulo one day, perhaps not in the immediate future just months after penning an eight-figure transfer deal, but he has claimed that the thoughts have already been in his mind.

“For sure,” Sara said about one day heading back to his former side.

“Sometimes I think about my future, going back to São Paulo one day, and my girlfriend even jokes saying that it’s too early, that I just have to think about it later on.

“One day I will return, and I will fulfil all my dreams there.”

The Verdict

For the outlay that Norwich spent on Sara, the club probably would have wanted more of a goal return in the first half of the season.

It is clear to see though that Sara is still working his way up to speed with the English game, and the only way you can do that is by playing matches.

The ankle injury he suffered back in Brazil earlier in the year will not have helped his early development, but there are signs there that he is beginning to show his best form.

Sara should be ready to fully fire when football returns in December following the month-long break, where we really should see the Canaries start to get a return on their investment.

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