Gabriel Sara's Norwich City progress report card for 2023/24

This campaign has been remarkable for the Brazilian midfielder—25 goal contributions, ever-present, and impressively consistent. Sara has ticked nearly every box that is looked for in a potential recruit by top-level clubs. 

In a campaign that has been more film noir than a cinematic masterpiece, Sara has glistened for City in a multitude of positions and cast himself into a leading role. He was the main character, and nearly every positive moment came through his boots at some stage. 

Even in the poor moments, Sara delivered moments of quality. Even when many were talking about a dip in performances around the turn of the year, his levels remained higher than many of his colleagues. In truth, that period was evidence of how high he has raised the bar.

Throw in positional changes, constant alterations around him and a restrictive playing style for the vast majority of the last campaign, and it makes Sara's achievements all the more impressive. 

After a debut campaign that showed plenty of green shoots, Sara has blossomed into a top level performer at Championship level. His performances have manoeuvred him into the 'appreciate him whilst he's here' category that has been previously occupied by the likes of James Maddison and Emi Buendia in recent times. 

Inside Carrow Road, there was a palpable belief that when Sara was on the pitch anything was possible, even in the slightly disjointed system that David Wagner persisted with throughout the campaign. 

He is a key part of why so many supporters dared to dream of a fairytale ending when everything, in reality, made it look beyond them - as it eventually proved. 

Sara may have been pipped to the Barry Butler Memorial Trophy by midfield colleague Kenny McLean, but few would dispute that, in terms of pure quality, he was undoubtedly top of the pile for the Canaries. 

Not just for City either, but among the very best in the entire division - recognised when he was named in the Championship team of the season. 

Only Leeds United's Crysencio Summerville (237) completed more shot-creating actions than Sara (226). Only three players - Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Leif Davis and Georginio Rutter - completed more goal-creating actions than Sara. 

Rutter cost Leeds £30m. Summerville is being linked away from Elland Road for fees even higher than that. It is some company for Sara to be in when it comes to chance creation. 

His goals were either spectacular - see the strikes against Rotherham, Swansea or Leeds - or important. Sometimes both. Sara's technical ability is combined with a game understanding that helps him make the most of his talent. 

What he has achieved and the progress he has made since taking that leap from Brazil is extraordinary. 

Gabriel Sara has been among the very best creators in the Championship this season. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

Since he arrived from Sao Paulo, his trajectory has been upwardly mobile. With every passing game and sizzling moment, he is looking increasingly comfortable in English football. Physically and defensively, he has withstood various tests.

Concerns have previously been raised from inside the recruitment teams of top-flight clubs about his work out of possession, but he has made strides in that department. 

All of these elements helped him elevate Norwich into the top six—without his quality moments, long-range strikes, or ability to thread a pass, it is questionable whether that objective would have been reached. 

Sara and Norwich were taken just too far. He was unable to provide one more memory in a game where City failed to rise to meet the occasion against Leeds United. 

With the club now facing another season of Championship football and the financial realities that come with that, Sara will be an attractive entity to a host of top clubs. The calendar hadn't even ticked into June, and Roma and Crystal Palace had already been linked with a move for the 24-year-old. 

Sara has made little secret of his desire to play in the Premier League one day. It fuelled his decision to swap the home comforts of Brazil for the challenge presented him by Norwich back in 2022. 

Palace have watched Sara regularly - so too have others in the top flight and beyond. But with anxieties over financial fair play and the threat of sanctions, there is likely to be a more cautious approach to how those clubs spend this summer. 

In Sara, Norwich have one of the league's best midfielders who isn't going to be agitating for a move this summer. He made his admiration for the club clear in a recent national media interview. 

Gabriel Sara played a key role under former Norwich boss David Wagner. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

What does that mean? Little if a club comes in and meets his valuation, with Norwich needed to make at least one, but possibly even two, major sales this summer. But if it doesn't materialise, neither party will be throwing their toys from the pram. 

His name will be constantly linked with other clubs throughout the summer, but Sara won't be actively pushing for a change of scenery. 

That doesn't mean no move will happen. It doesn't mean that he would reject the advances of any club who meets a valuation. Sara, like any player, has aspirations of pushing himself as high as possible. 

After the campaign that he has had, that level of discourse is inevitable. But as of today, everyone around the situation seems incredibly relaxed. 

Irrespective of what unfolds from here, it has been joyous to watch him cast his spell in yellow and green. Sara is the type of footballer that transports you back to the first moment the game connected with you. 

It may not be a season that lives long in the memory of Canaries supporters, but Sara's efforts undoubtedly will.