Norwich City simply cannot let the transfer vultures capture these 4 Canaries stars in January | OneFootball

We looked at some of the players that Norwich City cannot afford to lose in the January transfer window.

It has been an inconsistent start to the season for Norwich City in the Championship.

Norwich finished sixth in the table last season after an excellent second half of the campaign, but they suffered heartbreak as they were beaten 4-0 by Leeds United in the play-off semi-finals, resulting in the sacking of head coach David Wagner.

Johannes Hoff Thorup made the move from Danish side FC Nordsjaelland to replace Wagner, and he endured a tough start to his tenure at Carrow Road, with a host of key players leaving the club during the summer, most notably Gabriel Sara, who joined Galatasaray in deal that could eventually reach £22.5 million.

The Canaries were able to bring in nine new players this summer, but there is no doubt that the departures have had a big impact, and Thorup will be desperate to avoid losing any more of his stars in the January transfer window.

With that in mind, we looked at four players that Norwich simply must keep hold of in the New Year.

Angus Gunn

Goalkeeper Angus Gunn returned for a third spell at Carrow Road when he re-joined Norwich from Southampton in the summer of 2021 for a fee of around £2.5 million.

Gunn initially struggled to displace Tim Krul between the sticks, but he established himself in the team during the 2022-23 season, and he has remained the Canaries' first choice ever since.

The 28-year-old enjoyed an impressive start to the season, but he suffered a muscle injury in early October that has kept him out for the past month, and he has certainly been missed during his absence.

George Long has deputised for Gunn in recent weeks, but he has made costly mistakes against Preston North End, Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday, and Thorup will be keen to have his number one back as soon as possible.

Gunn's contract at Carrow Road expires in the summer, so Norwich could potentially be vulnerable to losing him in January, and given that the Scotland international has previously attracted interest from Rangers, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that other clubs could make a move as he enters the last six months of his deal.

However, Long's uncertain performances have highlighted just how important Gunn is for the Canaries, and the club must not consider selling him under any circumstances.

Kellen Fisher

Norwich are a club that have become known for developing young talent in recent years, with the likes of Max Aarons, Andrew Omobamidele and Jamal Lewis all being sold for big money.

The latest promising youngster to emerge at Carrow Road is defender Kellen Fisher, who has impressed since joining the Canaries from then National League side Bromley last summer.

Fisher was not expected to be involved with the first team initially, but he quickly impressed Wagner to earn a place in the senior squad, and he registered two assists in 14 appearances in all competitions last season.

The form of Jack Stacey kept Fisher out of the team in the second half of last season, but the 20-year-old has become Thorup's first choice right-back this campaign, and both his defensive and attacking game have improved under the Dane's guidance.

If Fisher continues on his current trajectory, it would be no surprise to see him attract Premier League interest in January, but Norwich should resist the temptation to sell just yet, as his valuation could increase significantly over the coming years.

Borja Sainz

All Norwich supporters would surely agree that winger Borja Sainz is the one player they simply must not lose in January.

Sainz joined the Canaries on a free transfer last summer following his release by Turkish side Giresunspor, and while he struggled with injury at times, he enjoyed a decent debut season at Carrow Road, scoring eight goals and providing two assists in 37 games in all competitions.

The Spaniard's influence increased over the second half of last season, but he has taken his game to another level in the early stages of this campaign, and he is currently the top goalscorer in the Championship.

Sainz is arguably the best player in the second tier right now, and although that is a huge positive for Norwich, it also means that it is inevitable he will emerge on the radar of other clubs.

The 23-year-old was linked with a move to Athletic Bilbao in the summer, but the Spanish side are unlikely to be the only club keeping tabs on the winger, and the Canaries must be braced for bids for their star man in January.

Josh Sargent

Keeping hold of Sainz will be top of Norwich's priority list in January, but retaining striker Josh Sargent will not be far behind.

Sargent arrived at Carrow Road from Werder Bremen in the summer of 2021, and after a slow start to his Canaries career, he enjoyed an outstanding campaign last season, scoring 16 goals and registering two assists in 30 appearances in all competitions.

The USA international was reportedly the subject of interest from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Brentford, Leeds, Bournemouth, St Louis City and FC Cincinnati in the summer, but he remained in Norfolk, much to Thorup's relief.

Sargent's fine form continued at the start of this season as he scored four goals and provided five assists in his first 12 games, but he will now be sidelined for at least eight weeks after sustaining a groin injury that will require surgery.