Norwich City: Johannes Hoff Thorup reunion could solve issue and protect against Borja Sainz blow | OneFootball

Johannes Hoff Thorup could look to Benjamin Nygren of his former club to help solve right wing issue and provide cover for an in demand Borja Sainz.

Johannes Hoff Thorup may want to consider some familiar faces to bolster his squad in January and Benjamin Nygren could be the answer to a lot of Norwich City's issues.

Thorup is no stranger to bringing in players he either knows or has already worked with. Standout free agent signing Emi Marcondes played under him for Nordsjælland, while Oscar Schwartau would have certainly caught his attention by scoring against his side for Brøndby earlier this year.

It's clear that the Norwich boss wants players who are familiar with his system and are able to hit the ground running, his former player Nygren may therefore be an ideal option for a January swoop.

Benjamin Nygren is a versatile attacker

The Swedish 23-year-old primarily plays on the right wing. Thorup's struggles with that position at Norwich are well documented, having never been quite able to fill the void left by Jon Rowe's departure.

While Ante Crnac has spent most of this campaign on the right flank, he's looked far more dangerous as a centre-forward, and it remains to be seen what position he'll take up when Josh Sargent returns from injury.

Nygren has already had some success on the right for the Danish side, scoring twice and assisting once in four games there this season. As a tall and physical presence, he'd also provide balance to the tricky left-side counterpart of Borja Sainz. Under Thorup last season, he scored seven from seven games as right winger and could be the solution there moving forward.

But Thorup is a manager who likes to chop and change his players' roles. The youngster Schwartau has played various positions in his short time at the club. Nygren has experienced Thorup's experimentation with positions before, having played in virtually every attacking position under his previous manager.

A particular highlight of his was a Conference league hat-trick against Fenerbahçe, despite only playing in the second half.

Thorup said after the game: "I told Nygren that he should make sure that we play more European football because that's what he obviously excels at."

While there's no doubt he'd be able to slot in on the right to help alleviate the issue that's plagued the club this season, he also carries the versatility profile Thorup seems to favour in his attackers. In a "transition" season such as this one, having a player he can count on to fill in the gaps may give the Norwich boss a good reason to get in touch with his former side.

Benjamin Nygren could be a long-term solution and ease future Borja Sainz blow

Signing players who can develop in the future has been a key pillar of what sporting director Ben Knapper is trying to implement at Norwich City. At 23, Nygren would fit within this theme perfectly, giving him plenty of opportunity to adapt to the Championship and become embedded into the squad as time goes on.

But with Sainz already attracting interest overseas making his long-term future at Carrow Road increasingly unlikely, a swoop for the versatility of Nygren makes even more sense. While majority shareholder Mark Attanasio has no intention of letting the Spaniard leave in January, having an understudy for the left-wing spot must surely be a priority, especially given the challenges the club will soon face in keeping him in Norfolk.

With the Swede's contract with the Danish club coming to an end this season, January may be an optimal time for the Norwich chiefs to stamp their interest. A move to the Championship would also seem a logical step for all parties.

Ultimately, it comes down to whether Thorup believes his former man would add another dimension to his Norwich side. Nygren is similar in profile to Crnac in physical presence also wielding a "poisonous" left foot and may not want to saturate his attacking options. Yet, someone who's familiar with his style and already has a good working relationship with may be the solution to a host of issues Thorup faces.