Max Aarons’ strategy for coping with transfer speculation is simply to take confidence from links to big clubs – but insists he remains fully focused on Norwich City.

Rumours of interest from top-level clubs have kept Aarons’ name up in lights ever since he burst onto the scene for City as an 18-year-old, with Barcelona, Roma and Borussia Dortmund all having enquiries rejected.

Having remained with the Canaries to help win a second Championship title winners’ medal, clubs including Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal were all linked this summer but it’s water off a duck’s back for the England Under-21 international.

“For some players it can be a bit of a distraction but for me, I’ve had this for years now, since I started to play on this level,” he explained.

“In one sense it can give you confidence but for me it’s just about playing the best I can on the pitch, that’s the main thing, that’s ultimately how it’s judged.

“I barely read any of it anyway and it’s been going on for so many years that it’s not an issue for me.”

The 21-year-old was speaking to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, who is renowned for his transfer insight and has millions of followers on his various online platforms.

Speaking via a Twitch stream, Aarons covered a variety of subjects, including talking about his dream of playing for England at senior level, idolising Cristiano Ronaldo and former Brazil right-back Dani Alves being a player in his position that he looked up to.

He also spoke of the continuing strength of his relationship with City boss Daniel Farke and picked out prankster Ben Gibson as being the funniest player in the Canaries squad, also describing Norwich as an “amazing” club.

Romano asked if he had an interest in playing overseas one day, with Aarons replying: “For sure. I see the number of foreign players that come to the Premier League and I take my hat off to them, it’s an amazing league and the best league in the world.

“To play in another league abroad, at some point in my career, would be amazing, with a different lifestyle.

“But I’m loving playing in the Premier League with Norwich, we’ve got a job to do here. My eyes are just firmly on staying in the league, playing as well as I can and performing for this club.

“I’m loving it at the minute, loving the Premier League. Hopefully we can get more wins and stay in the league.

“But definitely, for sure, at some point – who knows what could happen.”

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