Why Norwich would be wise to keep hold of Todd Cantwell amidst Liverpool interest

As per The Athletic (h/t The Mirror), Liverpool are interested in signing Norwich City ace Todd Cantwell as a potential replacement for Adam Lallana.

Cantwell, 22, came through the Canaries’ youth ranks and was sent on loan to Dutch side Fortuna Sittard before getting promoted to the Norwich’s first-team in the summer of 2018. Since his debut, he has made 57 appearances for the senior team, scoring 7 goals and providing 4 assists.

He has been one of the best players for the Canaries this season and his performances haven’t gone unnoticed, with clubs like Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham also vying his signature, as per the report.

Meanwhile, Daniel Farke’s side has endured a horrid time since their return to the top-flight this term as they are battling hard to move out of the relegation zone. They are currently at the bottom of the table with just 5 wins in 28 games and should they continue in the same way, they have to face relegation.

One of the chief reasons for their abysmal performance is the lack of goals to compete at a higher level. Star forward Teemu Pukki has scored 11 of the team’s total of 25 goals and hasn’t received support from the other forwards.

Todd Cantwell is next to him in the goalscoring charts with 6 goals to his name despite being a central midfielder. He has been excellent despite the team’s lack of consistency and is one of their key players.

The 22-year-old didn’t get regular game time last season when they won the Championship but has established himself as an integral member of Farke’s system this campaign. While other midfielders like Mario Vrancic, Lukas Rupp and Moritz Leitner have played bit-part roles, Cantwell has featured in all the games this season. Hence, Norwich should not let him leave.

The Canaries have struggled throughout the campaign but Cantwell’s presence in the team has given them some hope. He was instrumental in Norwich’s win against Manchester City and Everton earlier in the campaign and could be a decisive player for them in the future if he continues to put up the good show.

The Englishman has the ability to be a game-changer and with experience, he could be the perfect leader for the relegation-threatened club in the future.

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Verdict

Despite his tender age and inexperience, the academy product has been their leader in the middle of the park and has shown his qualities in both offensive and defensive situations on several occasions.

Therefore, to do better next season, Norwich need to keep hold of their key players and persuading Cantwell to stay at Carrow Road would be a wise decision by the club.