Norwich City: David Wagner on the scale of Canaries' transfer overhaul

Wagner knows a 13th-placed Championship finish was an unacceptable return and has pledged to engineer a turnaround alongside sporting director Stuart Webber.

Stuart Webber (Image: Paul Chesterton)

Burnley title winner Ashley Barnes is the first player linked with a Carrow Road arrival in what will be a hectic off-season.

“For sure, it's not possible to do it all in one window. But it's possible to do a big step in one window,” said Wagner. “I don't look for numbers (of signings). I look for the right ones. Obviously we announced six players will not be contracted to us for the next season.

"Plus the ones who were on loan, the two other guys (Isaac Hayden and Marquinhos). But I don't like to name a number. I think this makes no sense. We have to find the right ones.

“We have often spoken about how this group react to setbacks. And I know that in the last weeks we had a very young squad available. If you bring in experienced players they know the situations that can happen, and they are still calm enough to maybe accept a setback and continue what we are doing.

"But it isn't the case that we are only looking for experienced players. We already have done some of our work, but it will be a very busy summer for sure.”

Transforming the mentality of his squad is a priority.

“There has to be a willingness to change the borderline - to really go out of this comfort zone - to really push forward,” said Wagner. “To accept that I have to suffer if I want to improve and to develop.

"First and foremost, I think, this group needs mentality. Needs energy, needs characters who are able to stay strong in situations where maybe something goes against you. But this doesn't mean it can’t be a younger or older one. If he has these topics as a character, he is the right one for us.

“We have to be honest, as well, we had a lot of key players missing in the last five to six weeks. This has been an issue in terms of quality. But we have to make sure that we have more players who are able in difficult situations, difficult circumstances, to still perform on the level they have to.”