Norwich City 2026-2027 Season Preview
A new season has arrived, and Norwich City head into 2026-2027 with a squad that looks markedly different from the one that began the previous campaign.
After a difficult opening to 2025-2026 and a significant improvement under Philippe Clement, the Canaries finished ninth in the Championship and now have a clearer platform from which to build.
There are new additions to assess, established players taking on greater responsibility and a head coach entering his first full season in charge. The club has also strengthened in midfield and attack while retaining a number of players who featured prominently during the second half of last season.
With the Championship campaign now under way, attention turns to whether Norwich can turn the progress made in 2026 into a sustained challenge near the top of the division.
Norwich City 2025-2026 Season Recap
Norwich finished the 2025-2026 Championship season in ninth place with 65 points, recording 19 wins, eight draws and 19 defeats. They scored 63 league goals and conceded 56. The final position represented a significant recovery from the difficult first part of the campaign.
The season began under Liam Manning, but he left the club in November 2025. Philippe Clement was subsequently appointed head coach on a contract running until the summer of 2029. Under Clement, Norwich improved considerably and moved away from the relegation concerns that had surrounded the team earlier in the campaign.
Norwich also reached the fifth round of the FA Cup, where they were eliminated by Leeds United, while their Carabao Cup run ended in the second round. In the league, the Canaries produced some particularly strong results during the second half of the season, including a 5-0 victory away at West Bromwich Albion.
The campaign also provided opportunities for younger players, with the likes of Kellen Fisher, Liam Gibbs, Jacob Wright, Oscar Schwartau and others becoming increasingly involved. That blend of developing players and experienced Championship performers provides much of the foundation for the new campaign.
Who Is The Manager of Norwich City?
Philippe Clement is Norwich City’s head coach. The Belgian was appointed in November 2025 and signed a contract through to the summer of 2029. His arrival followed the departure of Liam Manning earlier in the season.
Clement brings substantial experience from Belgium, France and Scotland. He worked within Club Brugge’s academy before moving into senior management and subsequently won league titles with Genk and Club Brugge. He also managed AS Monaco and Rangers, where he won the Scottish League Cup.
His first months at Norwich were about stabilising a team that had endured a poor start. The improvement that followed means 2026-2027 represents a different challenge: Clement now has a full pre-season and a squad assembled with his ideas in mind.
His approach has placed importance on structure, intensity and creating a team in which attacking threats can come from several areas. The club’s current squad contains a mixture of experienced players, established Championship performers and younger prospects, giving Clement several options when it comes to shape and personnel.
The head coach will also be judged on how effectively he develops the younger members of the squad. Norwich’s current first-team group includes several players who have progressed through the club’s pathway, alongside experienced figures such as captain Kenny McLean. McLean signed a new two-year contract in 2026, keeping him at Carrow Road through to 2028.
Norwich City Summer Transfer Activity
Three notable additions were confirmed during the summer: Sam Field joined permanently from Queens Park Rangers, Andre Brooks arrived from Sheffield United and Brazilian defender Bruno Alves joined on a season-long loan from Cruzeiro.
The transfer window remains open until September 1, so the squad could still change before the deadline.
Norwich have also confirmed their retained and released list following the 2025-2026 season, meaning several players departed or were made available as contracts ended. Rather than attributing unverified moves to individual players, the club’s official retained and released list should be used as the definitive reference for those departures.
The result is a squad that retains a strong core from the second half of last season while adding competition in midfield, attack and defence. Norwich’s official 2026-2027 squad currently includes Vladan Kovačević and Daniel Grimshaw in goal, defenders such as Harry Darling, José Córdoba, Jack Stacey and Kellen Fisher, and midfielders including Field, McLean, Liam Gibbs, Pelle Mattsson and Anis Ben Slimane.
Who are Norwich City’s Key Players?
Norwich’s current squad has several players who could play important roles throughout the campaign.
Kenny McLean remains a major source of experience and leadership. The captain has committed his future to Norwich until 2028 and offers versatility in midfield as well as considerable Championship experience.
Sam Field is another important figure in midfield. After joining initially on loan, he impressed enough to earn a permanent transfer and gives Clement a physically strong, defensively minded option in the centre of the pitch.
Mathias Kvistgaarden is one of the main attacking players to watch. The Denmark international joined from Brøndby in 2025 and has already established himself as an important part of Norwich’s forward options.
Jovon Makama also deserves attention. He finished the 2025-2026 season as Norwich’s leading scorer in all competitions with 13 goals, including 10 in the Championship.
Behind them, younger players including Kellen Fisher, Liam Gibbs, Jacob Wright and Oscar Schwartau provide further competition. Norwich’s official squad list contains a substantial number of players who are still developing, giving Clement opportunities to rotate and build for the longer term.
What Are Norwich City’s Season Expectations?
The expectations for 2026-2027 are higher than they were when Clement inherited the team in November 2025. Norwich finished ninth last season after recovering from a difficult opening period, and the club has subsequently added players such as Field and Brooks while retaining experienced figures including McLean.
Clement has spoken about the club’s ambitions and the potential he sees at Norwich, while new signing Brooks said he wanted to help the Canaries “go all the way” after joining from Sheffield United.
That makes the 2026-2027 campaign an important test of whether last season’s recovery can be converted into a sustained promotion challenge. The Championship is demanding over 46 league matches, so squad depth, availability and consistency will be just as important as individual quality.
The development of younger players will remain another important part of Norwich’s season. Players such as Fisher, Gibbs, Wright and Schwartau are competing alongside more experienced members of the squad, while new arrivals provide further options for Clement.
The early weeks should therefore provide useful clues about Norwich’s direction. Performances against different styles of opposition, the way the midfield develops and the team’s ability to turn possession into goals will all be worth monitoring.
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