Norwich City transfers: Adam Idah potential exit analysed

Just four days after Norwich City’s last meeting with former head coach Daniel Farke, the German’s words are pertinent once more.

That’s what he said after Adam Idah burst onto the scene in an FA Cup win over Preston North End in 2020, with the Canaries’ Premier League struggles eschewed by the then-18-year-old’s heroic hat-trick.

The sky was the limit for the young Irishman, whose undoubtable talent had already made him a star of the under-23s and a regular at youth international level. With Josip Drmic failing to make an impact and the goalscoring burden weighing heavily on Teemu Pukki’s shoulders, it felt like Idah could be the saviour.

And yet four years later, following defeat in the same competition, he could be headed for a back-door exit with minimal fuss.

Hellas Verona have submitted a formal offer to take him to Serie A on an initial loan, with the option to make the deal permanent in the summer. Whether it represents a serious consideration has divided City supporters, but the fact it’s even up for a debate is testament to how badly things have gone.

Discussion around the 22-year-old’s career now centres mainly on apportioning blame, finding the people responsible for Idah’s demise. But the truth is a complex one, with many guilty parties in the sour story.

In the long term that hat-trick may have done more harm than good. It put the breaks on a loan move to Doncaster Rovers, and with it minimised the striker’s senior game time. He started at Old Trafford due to an injury crisis in the forward line, but there-on-in it was an awful lot of bench warming.

The summer of 2020 meant another opportunity to earn Idah minutes on loan, but Farke kept him as part of his attacking trio alongside Pukki and Jordan Hugill. That was when injury became one of the forces against the young attacker, a common theme between then and 2022, and again his impact was minimal.

Promotion back to the Premier League brought with it another carrot for Idah, who came to the fore in Dean Smith’s more direct system after Farke was sacked in November 2021. Again injuries impacted his campaign, however, taking him out of action just as he was building some momentum.

Smith’s treatment of Idah had been commendable, getting the best out of him and furthering his career aside from the uncontrollable risk of fitness issues. It wasn’t long before he entered the blame game, however, a PR disaster in a press conference doing no good for anyone.

The West Bromwich native described his charge as a “joint-compromised athlete” with a smile, but it was a sombre label for someone previously seen as one of City’s top prospects.

It’s succession was a shock five-year deal for Idah, and ironically came just as his injury problems began to reduce. He was free of the burden of fitness issues, but attached to the tag of a hefty contract and a higher bar for success from fans.

Smith was replaced by David Wagner in January 2023, and since then has found starts hard to come by. The German’s preference for experience has seen Ashley Barnes and Hwang Ui-jo start ahead of him even in main man Josh Sargent’s absence, with Pukki’s starting status virtually unquestionable until his July departure.

Idah has been frustrated with his lack of game time this season (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

That’s why Idah is keen on the option to move abroad, recognising that he needs more opportunity to play and unhappy with a lack of it under the German. That’s the latest in a series of frustrations, but it’s clear to see the volume of obstacles he’s faced.

That’s not to say that he’s made the most of the opportunities he has been given; his super-sub status this season has come partially from his excellent impact but also his failure to impress for 90 minutes.

For all the talk of potential, there’s still a man there whose first touch could be better, whose finishing is inconsistent and who drifts in and out of games too often. There have been plenty of factors in his way, but there’s little proof against Wagner’s omissions when it comes to actual performances.

The blame game will undoubtedly continue even if Idah departs NR1 before Thursday’s transfer deadline. Responsibility for his struggles is shared, but there have been too many false dawns to entirely acquit the man himself.