Norwich City: Ben Knapper should lean on Arsenal links for David Wagner replacement | OneFootball

The German manager had led the Canaries to the play-offs but, after a humiliating 4-0 defeat in the semi-final second leg against Leeds United, the club have reportedly taken the decision to relieve him of his duties, and will start afresh this summer.

The Canaries job will surely be a popular one, given the fact they have a history of getting promoted to the Premier League and that they're one of the bigger Championship clubs.

Sporting Director Ben Knapper will have plenty of time to find a new boss before the 2024/25 campaign starts and he could turn to his former club Arsenal in what would be a risky, but exciting move.

Ben Knapper could turn to Carlos Cuesta this summer

Knapper spent 13 years at Arsenal, holding a number of different roles at the Emirates Stadium before moving to the Canaries last November.

He's certainly well-connected at the Gunners and perhaps could look for a new manager for Norwich at his former club.

Mikel Arterta's assistant, Carlos Cuesta, is rated as one of the world's best young coaches, according to The Telegraph, and after four years as Arsenal's number two, he may wish to move on and take his first steps into senior management.

There's no doubt that appointing a 28-year-old with no prior experience in senior management would be a huge risk but Norwich have used the tried and tested approach in recent appointments and failed to get anywhere.

It was reported in February that Knapper was interested in offering Cuesta the manager's role at Carrow Road this summer and now Wagner has departed it may pave the way for Norwich to move for the Arsenal man.

It was reported at the time that Cuesta is believed to be open to working with Knapper again and the pair have a strong relationship. With all of this considered, it could be a match made in heaven for Norwich.

Cuesta began coaching with Atlético Madrid in 2014 as an 18-year-old and after four seasons in the Spanish capital, he moved to Juventus, where he was the assistant manager of the youth academy, before joining Arteta's coaching staff at Arsenal in 2020.

Depsite his age and no prior senior management experience, Cuesta is clearly rated in the game and has worked for some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Appointing the Spaniard would be a risk but it is one worth taking.

This was the right time for a change of manager at Norwich City

There's no doubt that Wagner is a good manager, particularly at Championship level, but he's perhaps not the long-term project manager that Norwich needed if they want to rebuild and win promotion to the Premier League.

Since Daniel Farke left in 2021, the Canaries have endured a bit of an identity crisis, with neither Dean Smith nor Wagner being overly popular with fans or successful.

Had Norwich managed to defy the odds and win promotion, things could have been seriously messy for the Canaries in the Premier League, with club legend Chris Sutton telling Sky Sports that he's glad his former side didn't win promotion.

Norwich need a refresh this summer, and they could do that by appointing a young manager, with a clear vision in mind, ideally playing attractive football - something that Cuesta could offer.

Being compared to their bitter rivals Ipswich Town is the last thing Norwich fans would want, but you only have to look at the Tractor Boys to see the difference appointing someone of that ilk in Kieran McKenna has made.

With the three relegated clubs from the Premier League this season perhaps not looking as strong as last season's cohort of Leeds, Leicester City, and Southampton, there's no reason why the Canaries can't challenge for promotion next season.

However, they need to get the right manager, and not many Norwich fans will shed a tear that Wagner has left the club.