Joel Latibeaudiere has been linked with a move to Norwich City
According to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester City defender Joel Latibeaudiere is in talks with Championship clubs Norwich City and Reading over a permanent exit from the Etihad before next week’s domestic deadline.
Born in Doncaster, Joel Latibeaudiere rose through the youth ranks of Man City and has accumulated a total of 55 appearances for the club’s U-18 and U-23 sides. The 20-year-old centre-back also caught the eye for the Citizens’ U-19 side in the UEFA Youth League before enjoying his first taste of senior football on loan at FC Twente in the Eredivisie last season.
Latibeaudiere started only 5 games in the Dutch top-flight last term, registering a goal and an assist apiece but he still earned rave reviews for his performances. A centre-back blessed with the versatility to operate as a right-back, the 20-year-old was a key part of the England squad the lifted the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India.
Norwich City grabbed the headlines with the acquisition of Ben Gibson on a season-long loan deal from Burnley earlier in the summer. However, with Ben Godfrey departing to join Everton on deadline day and veteran centre-back Timm Klose sealing a loan exit, the Canaries are somewhat light in central defence.
Daniel Farke still has the likes of Christoph Zimmermann and Grant Hanley competing at the heart of the defence. But they ideally need another centre-back to facilitate squad rotation, which could be crucial given the long and hectic schedule of a 46-game season in the Championship.
To put things into perspective, it would be a good idea for Norwich City to invest in an up and coming talent like Joel Latibeaudiere before the domestic deadline. The 20-year-old has caught the eye for Man City at the youth and reserve level while his impressive displays on loan at Twente in the Eredivisie last season clearly suggest that the centre-back is ready to make the step up to the Championship.
Should a move to Carrow Road materialise, Latibeaudiere could face stiff competition from highly-rated youngsters, Rocky Bushiri and Akin Famewo, both currently out on loan, for a place in Daniel Farke’s ranks in the foreseeable future.
Suffice to say, Joel Latibeaudiere looks more than capable of providing Norwich City with some valuable cover at the heart of the backline. His versatility to operate as a right-back comes as an added asset too.
Latibeaudiere is not the finished article just yet but he has shown the potential to reach great heights in his career moving forward. Hence, Norwich need to look at him as a utility squad player in the ongoing campaign with a view to polishing him into a regular starter at the back in the years to come.