Norwich City fans had all but given up hope of Oliver Skipp’s possible return but a new report claims another loan could still be a possibility for the midfielder.

That’s according to the Athletic, whose Spurs correspondent has taken a closer look at the potential arrivals and departures which could still happen during the final month of the summer transfer window.

Skipp has been featuring regularly during pre-season since Nuno Espirito Santo’s arrival, having successfully recovered from the foot surgery which finished his Canaries loan a match early.

The England Under-21 international proved a revelation for City, finishing third in the club’s Player of the Season voting and being included in the PFA Championship Team of the Season alongside five of his team-mates.

Sporting director Stuart Webber made it clear that Norwich will keep the door open for a possible return as long as possible but in recent weeks it’s believed the Canaries had been under the impression that Skipp will be staying at Tottenham.

However, the Athletic report suggests that the 20-year-old's season could hinge on whether World Cup winner Moussa Sissoko can be moved on this summer, as one of the senior players available if they can attract sufficient interest, as Nuno starts to reshape the squad.

The report states: “The uncertainty over whether players like Sissoko can be shipped out also has a knock-on effect on other players, such as Oliver Skipp, that Spurs would like to keep this summer rather than send out on loan but it will depend on who they are able to sell and bring in.

“Skipp, too, will find out more in the coming weeks as Tottenham work their way through pre-season and new head coach Nuno has more of a chance to look at his players.

“There’s a great deal of interest in Skipp from Premier League clubs and abroad should he become available for loan.”

Skipp started and played 77 minutes as Spurs won 3-1 at MK Dons on Wednesday night but Nuno’s planned starting XI is likely to become clearer next week during friendlies against Chelsea and Arsenal.

VERDICT

One of those interested clubs will be Norwich, of course, and hopes would remain that Skipp would be happy to continue his development under Daniel Farke’s tutelage. However, that may also be tempered by fears of a newly-promoted team potentially being in a scrap for survival.

Mid-season reports had already suggested that City would be far from the only club interested in Skipp’s services if he was to be allowed out on loan again, so it would seem unwise for hopes to raise too much on the basis of this latest report.

Norwich do still want another central midfield addition though, having not yet brought in a recognised defensive midfielder since the exits of Skipp and Alex Tettey.

Pierre Lees-Melou and Chelsea loanee Billy Gilmour have joined the midfield mix alongside Kenny McLean, Lukas Rupp and Jacob Sorensen but neither are thought to be direct replacements for the defensive instincts of Skipp.

Gilmour’s signing leaves City with one further loan slot to fill ahead of the 11pm transfer deadline on Monday, August 30.

That deadline is three games into the new season though, so it seems unlikely that Webber and Farke would be willing to wait too much longer for Skipp’s situation to become clear, with the need to replace some defensive midfield nous becoming more pressing by the day.

Norwich City 2020-21 report card: Oliver Skipp