According to a report from Norwich Evening News, Norwich City are interested in signing Algerian right-back Mehdi Zeffane from Ligue 1 club Rennes in the summer, with reports claiming that the Canaries could come up with a lucrative offer for the 26-year-old at the end of the season.
Norwich have been absolutely brilliant in the Championship this season under the charismatic stewardship of Daniel Farke. The news of the club’s links with Zeffane is a clear indication of the fact that the manager has already started planning for survival in the top-flight next season.
Zeffane has made a total of 29 appearances for Rennes in all competitions this season, scoring once and assisting a further couple. The 26-year-old also played a key role in the club’s 3-1 victory over Arsenal in the Europa League Round of 16 clash.
Born in France to parents of Algerian descent, Zeffane started off his professional career with Lyon and subsequently switched boats to Rennes in 2015 after playing a bit-part role in the first-team at his boyhood club.
However, the versatile wide-player hasn’t been able to nail down a regular starting role at Rennes either, registering only 64 appearances for the French outfit over the course of three seasons.
To put things into perspective, Mehdi Zeffane might not have reached great heights in his career in France so far but he might prove to be a useful squad player at Carrow Road next season.
The Canaries need to bolster their ranks in the summer to ensure that they have a good enough squad to survive in the top-flight and a versatile player like Zeffane is likely to increase competition for places.
As a matter of fact, Norwich have enjoyed a promotion-winning campaign in the Championship this season solely based on their firepower up front. While the likes of Teemu Pukki, Emiliano Buendia, Onel Hernandez and a few others have been the architects of Norwich’s successful campaign, the same cannot be said about their defenders.
Norwich have shipped a total of 56 goals in 45 games in the Championship this season and vulnerability at the back might prove to be an Achilles Heel in their bid for survival in the Premier League next term.
Undoubtedly, bringing in defensive reinforcements should be a priority for the Canaries at the end of the season, which is further epitomized by the fact that right-back Ivo Pinto and centre-back Tim Klose are out of contract in the summer. Zeffane is a versatile wide player who can play at both right-back and left-back, as well as further up the pitch as a winger on either flank.
Noted for his tenacity, work-rate, good game-reading ability and well-rounded passing attributes, the 11-cap Algerian ace has the ability to cut out attacks with crucial tackles and interceptions, while also showing the willingness to venture forward to support the attack.
Youngster Max Aarons has been an influential presence on the right-hand side of the backline this season, while Jamal Lewis has done a decent job on the left. However, both of them are still young and bringing in an experienced customer like Zeffane definitely makes a lot of sense.
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Norwich should rely on their core of first-team stars to steer them to safety in the Premier League but they should also look to increase competition for places at the same time, and the acquisition of Zeffane is likely to boost Farke’s team dynamics massively.