Newcastle United have reportedly made an enquiry for Norwich City midfielder Todd Cantwell as they continue to ramp up their January business.
According to The Telegraph, Todd Cantwell is one of four attacking players subject to an enquiry from Newcastle as they look to bolster their squad this month. The 23-year-old has six months left on his current deal at Carrow Road, with the Canaries holding a one-year extension option that they will exercise if he stays beyond January.
Newcastle revealed their first January arrival on Friday, bringing in England international Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid. The signing was a major statement of intent and it seems the new owners are determined to back Magpies boss Eddie Howe as they battle to avoid relegation. Howe is keen on strengthening multiple areas on the pitch, with another midfield option seen as a priority.
Newcastle have recently been linked with a move for Juventus outcast Aaron Ramsey. However, another midfielder also understood to be on their radar is Norwich’s Todd Cantwell, a much younger and cheaper proposition than the Welsh international.
Cantwell came through the youth ranks at Norwich City and had a brief six-month loan stint with Dutch outfit Fortuna Sittard before making the step up to Canaries’ first-team squad. Since then, the former England Under-21 international has helped the club gain two promotions to the Premier League.
He grabbed the spotlight in his debut campaign in the top-flight, netting six Premier League goals for the Canaries’ in the 2019/20 season. Regarded as one of the most promising English prospects not long ago, he has since suffered a significant fall from grace, with disciplinary issues hindering his progression.
He has hardly featured for Norwich this term, clocking up just under 450 minutes of footballing action so far. Cantwell fell out of favour with former Canaries’ boss Daniel Farke towards the end of his time at Carrow Road and has failed to impress under new manager Dean Smith.
The report adds that Norwich are open to listening to bids for Cantwell, as the attacking midfielder has informed the club that he will not be signing an extension. The 23-year-old has garnered interest from Leeds United and Aston Villa, but neither club have followed up with an offer as things stand.
And it seems cash-rich Newcastle have also enquired about the English playmaker’s availability. Newcastle have long admired the attacking midfielder’s talents and versatility. They heavily rely on Allan Saint-Maximin as the team’s chief creative outlet. They lack a midfielder to progress the ball from midfield and link up the play, and Cantwell could be that playmaking option.
The 23-year-old has good technical ability and the knack of drifting into spaces to create quality opportunities in the final third. His true strengths lie in constructing passing sequences, connecting play and in intelligent movement, which would suit the possession-based style of play that Howe wants to implement at Newcastle. Whether or not the Magpies will end up landing Cantwell this month remains to be seen.
