Norwich City have been handed a fresh selection headache after Ali Ahmed suffered a knee injury in Saturday’s pre-season defeat to La Liga side Osasuna. Manager Philippe Clement described the problem as a ‘really bad’ knee injury, leaving the club to assess the full extent of the damage and forcing a rethink over wide positions ahead of the imminent competitive season.
Who is available and who is not
With the Carabao Cup tie against MK Dons at Carrow Road scheduled for Saturday, the squad’s options on the flanks are thin. At present the club lists only three fit wide players:
- Andre Brooks
- Matej Jurasek
- Oscar Schwartau
Several other attacking wing players are not yet available. Papa Amadou Diallo and Ante Crnac have not yet kicked a ball in pre-season, while Amankwah Forson is free to depart the club. That combination leaves the Canaries light on cover should Ahmed be ruled out for a prolonged period.
Transfer implications and the left-back market
The injury adds pressure to sporting director Ben Knapper and the recruitment team as they step up their search for additional cover. Clement has indicated the club were close to completing a signing for a left-back prior to the Osasuna match, and sources suggest options have been narrowed with the aim of concluding a deal before the first competitive game.
| Situation | Implication |
|---|---|
| Ali Ahmed – knee injury | May force recruitment of extra winger/left-back cover |
| Available wide options | Andre Brooks, Matej Jurasek, Oscar Schwartau |
| Not match-fit | Papa Amadou Diallo, Ante Crnac; Amankwah Forson likely to leave |
“A really bad knee injury,”
The club must now balance short-term needs for the upcoming Cup tie with longer-term planning for the Championship campaign. If Ahmed requires extended rehabilitation, Norwich will be considering players who can slot in quickly at left wing or left-back, depending on how they prioritise cover and squad balance.
Fans will also be watching internal competitions for places: questions remain about the centre-back partnership and who will lead the line up front, but the immediate concern is whether the club will enter the market once more to plug gaps exposed by Ahmed’s injury and other players’ lack of pre-season minutes.
With the transfer window open and the season about to begin, the coming days will be telling for Norwich’s recruitment approach. Any additions would need to be swift to allow new arrivals to integrate before Saturday’s Carabao Cup fixture.
