How much Norwich City will need to pay Bristol City to appoint Liam Manning | OneFootball

The Canaries will have to pay a fairly substantial compensation package.

Norwich City endured a frustrating season, which ultimately saw them record a disappointing mid-table finish.

The Canaries squandered a bright start to the campaign and were eventually unable to even finish inside the top half.

Their hopes of sneaking into the play-offs in the latter stages of the season were dashed by a run of just one win from 10 games, a run of form which cost boss Johannes Hoff Thorup his job.

There will surely be plenty of regret that Norwich were unable to mount a genuine fight for the top six, considering they have some of the best attacking talent in the league in their ranks, with the likes of Borja Sainz and Josh Sargent.

Now, though, the club are pushing to appoint their next permanent manager early in the summer, as preparation for next season begins to ramp up.

How much Norwich will have to pay for Liam Manning

Hoff Thorup was dismissed with just two league games of the season remaining, and it already looks as though Norwich have decided on his replacement.

According to Ben Jacobs on X, the Canaries have identified Bristol City boss Liam Manning as a leading contender for the role, with an official approach for his services expected imminently.

Manning defied expectations to lead the Robins to the Championship play-offs for the first time since the 2007/08 campaign, however, they were then heavily defeated by Sheffield United.

The Bristol outfit were beaten 6-0 on aggregate by the Blades, in what represented a disappointing end to what had been a hugely encouraging season at Ashton Gate.

While talk of Manning leaving will be of huge concern to City fans, they are at least covered to some extent by the fact that the former Oxford and MK Dons chief is under contract in Gloucestershire until the summer of 2027.

That contract will mean that if Norwich do want to prize Manning away, then they will have to part with a significant fee as part of a compensation package.

According to reports, the release clause in Manning’s current contract stands at £800,000.

Manning would be a good appointment for Norwich

Manning received criticism when he left Oxford for Bristol City just three months into the 2022/23 campaign, but nobody can question his ambition.

Having previously taken charge of Belgian outfit Lommel SK (who are part of Manchester City’s City Football Group), Manning returned to England back in August 2021 to join MK Dons.

He then led the Buckinghamshire side to a third-placed finish in League One, before he was relieved of his duties early into the 2022/23 campaign.

His work at Stadium MK understandably attracted attention from other clubs at the level, and he then moved to Oxford in March 2023, where he quickly built a sizeable reputation for himself.

The 39-year-old had the U’s flying high in League One when he jumped ship, and although Des Buckingham ultimately saw them to promotion anyway, Manning remains an unpopular figure among their fanbase.

Bristol City fans are now set to feel that pain, as Manning looks set to move for another new challenge.

If the Canaries are to get their man, then the £800k could prove to be a bargain for someone who is considered to be one of the brightest young coaches in the EFL at the moment.

Manning has worked his way up through the divisions, and although Norwich appears to be something of a sideways move for him at present, he will surely back himself to have them in the play-off picture next term.