Liam Manning warned of "nightmare" transfer scenario involving 4 Norwich City stars - ft Josh Sargent | OneFootball

FLW's Norwich City fan pundit has identified one nightmare transfer scenario the Canaries must avoid this summer.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Norwich City will enter a new era in 2025/26 under former Bristol City boss Liam Manning.

The 39-year-old is heading into his first season as Canaries boss after swapping Ashton Gate for Carrow Road.

However, before their Championship campaign gets underway, Manning will need to navigate a large chunk of this summer's transfer window, with the club needing to conduct some shrewd business as they look to deliver a significantly better second tier showing next term than their 13th-placed finish last season.

As such, some big personnel decisions will have to be made, as the former Robins manager moulds Norwich's playing squad in his vision.

Liam Manning sent "nightmare" Norwich City transfer scenario warning

We asked our Norwich City fan pundit, Zeke Downes: 'What would be a 'nightmare scenario' for your club in this summer's transfer window?'

Downes said: "I'd say a 'nightmare scenario' would probably be that we would lose Borja Sainz, Josh Sargent and Marcelino Nunez, and even Kenny McLean.

"But, I don't see that happening. I think we might lose two: Sainz 100 per cent, and the other one, I'd say, would be Sargent.

"That's the obvious name, but in my mind, I don't think it's nailed on. I think if Liam Manning can convince him (Sargent) to stay and he can be our guy up front, then we could build a really good squad.

"But it depends as well if anyone comes in for him for £15-20m, then you could see that the club would probably want to accept because he's had injuries, and you don't know when his next big injury is going to be.

"That money could be used elsewhere, but that would probably be the worst case. But, I don't think we'll lose all four of them."

Liam Manning may see big-money sales as ideal chance to stamp his authority on Norwich City squad

Getting the club back in the play-offs will undoubtedly be Manning's Norwich City remit for the 2025/26 season.

As such, he surely won't want to see too many of his best players depart the club this summer, as he has inherited a playing squad that unquestionably underperformed its respective talent levels last term.

However, as with any new appointment, managers have to be seen to be stamping their own authority on the playing squad, and Manning will surely want to bring in a host of his own players this summer.

Therefore, he, and indeed the club, may well see this period of transition as the ideal opportunity to somewhat wipe the slate clean, bank some big paydays with the sales of highly saleable assets such as Sargent, Sainz and Nunez, and allow Manning a large pot of transfer funds to reshape this Canaries team to match his vision for how he wants to play.

Manning largely deployed a back three system during the second half of the 2024/25 season with Bristol City, and that may well be what he looks to bring to Norwich City too.

If so, he may need to make a host of new additions this summer in order to successfully implement that style of play at Carrow Road, and as such, he may well look at the possibility of some big-money sales as a rather attractive proposition, instead of viewing it as a 'nightmare scenario'.

A fascinating summer transfer window awaits in Norfolk.