Norwich City transfers: Canaries’ summer signings analysed

For all the talk of new heroes, selling models and reinvestment, they had absolutely no guarantees. They watched Gabriel Sara depart, then Adam Idah, and then Jonathan Rowe, replaced by a selection of young hopefuls that the sporting director thought could go onto great things.

But few had much knowledge of any of these new recruits, let alone the expertise to assess a totally reshaped squad. All they had to go on was an awkward campaign of play-off failure, minus two of its brightest stars.

That's why in August there was a degree of apprehension, and worries over quality in depth even after the transfer window closed. It was not knowing that created the anxiety, especially in the context of a rebuild and talk of a transitional season.

But after a few weeks with the newbies there's growing optimism at Carrow Road, as hope of new heroes turns to encouragement, and the talk turns to tangible signs of talent.

Forefront in Johannes Hoff Thorup's vertical passing style is Callum Doyle, perhaps the Canaries' prime progresser of the ball from defence. He may be on loan and he may not mean the same business upside as some of his fellow new arrivals, but for one season he's a vital cog in an increasingly impressive machine.

Joining him on the left side of defence has been Jose Cordoba, the reaction to whose pre-Hull injury troubles said everything about his recent form. Not only has he achieved the ball-playing requirements of a Thorup centre-back, he's got the physically imposing swagger of a Virgil van Dijk, and looks like a strong Championship addition.

In midfield Anis Ben Slimane has captured fans' hearts early on, first with a fierce cameo at Coventry and then in successive displays of attacking productivity in meetings with Leeds and the Tigers. As someone who looks like part of both of the multi-headed defensive and Sara-replacement solutions, he appears to be a shrewd signing.

Then there's Ante Crnac, who's improving with every outing, Kaide Gordon, who opened his goalscoring account on Saturday, and Oscar Schwartau, a clear bright prospect at just 18.

Emiliano Marcondes made an encouraging debut against Hull and Ben Chrisene has has quickly adapted to life in Norfolk. Even Amankwah Forson, who's struggled for game time in recent weeks, showed his ability early on.

Jose Cordoba and Callum Doyle have both impressed since joining the Canaries (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) Add all of those up and it paints a very pleasing picture for Knapper, who spent the sort of fees that warrant a little added expectation. There's still a long way for most of those players to go, but in many ways that's exactly what he's looking for.

This crop have quickly become a symbol of the Thorup era. They're largely young, good in possession, have something to prove in English football and were identified by City, loanees aside, as players they could eventually sell for more than they cost.

The similarities continue when it comes to trajectory, with many of these new arrivals outstripping the learning curve mapped out for them by optimists and cynics alike. Those looking for reasons why the project is already exceeding expectations have a large factor in the adaptation of those brought in from across Europe to make an impact.

It's not perfect yet, but the agenda of improvement set out in NR1 means Knapper wouldn't want it to be anyway. Things have very quickly graduated from a squad without two star players and with nine unknowns to a strong second division group.

In that sense he's passed the first trust exercise, but there will be many more to come from here.