Following the loan exit of Marcel Franke from Norwich City, David Freezer looks at the other fringe players who could leave Carrow Road during January.
January is not expected to bring a busy transfer window for Norwich City after so many changes during the summer – but there are issues waiting to be settled.
The first of City's potential fringe exits has been sealed with confirmation that defender Marcel Franke is heading back to Germany on loan until the end of the season.
Dynamo Dresden have sealed a deal for the 24-year-old, who returns to his hometown club and Bundesliga II, where he played for Greuther Furth before joining the Canaries in the summer in a deal reportedly worth up to £2.5million, having started just five Championship matches.
The last of those came in a disastrous 4-0 defeat at Millwall at the end of August. However, with a contract until 2020, Daniel Farke has suggested his fellow German could return to Norfolk.
The humbling at The Den prompted City to bring in Hanley from Newcastle and the Scot, along with Klose and Zimmermann, has kept Franke and club captain Russell Martin out in the cold.
Martin hasn't been seen since Millwall either and, with Sean Raggett able to return from his Lincoln loan in January, it wouldn't be too surprising to see the long-serving defender on his way either – with 309 Canaries appearances under his belt and his 32nd birthday just weeks away.
Experienced forward Steven Naismith also appears to have opened the door to a potential end to his disappointing two years in Norfolk after speaking to the media in Scotland this week.
Meanwhile, Dutch winger Yanic Wildschut has started just one of City's last 10 matches and featured as a substitute in just four of those, with the 26-year-old struggling to make a lasting impact since joining from Wigan last January.
Experienced goalkeeper Paul Jones hasn't even been featuring for the under-23s and has still made just one appearance since joining in August 2016.
Also turning 32 in January, the former Portsmouth keeper seems surplus to requirements with Michael McGovern and Remi Matthews already available as cover for on-loan number one Angus Gunn.
Matt Jarvis remains out of the picture with the ankle trouble which has kept him out of first-team football since May 2016 and remains on healthy wages, making a loan or sale extremely unlikely in January. The former West Ham winger turns 32 at the end of the season but still has 18 months of his contract remaining.
With finances likely to prevent much investment – unless a prized asset is sold – those exits could just free up some funds to allow Farke and sporting director Stuart Webber to find a better balance for their squad.
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