Why Norwich City should take a gamble on Brian Montenegro
According to Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb (h/t the Pink Un), Norwich City are one of the clubs interested in Olimpia forward Brian Montenegro, with Brighton, Brescia and SPAL being the other clubs.
The Paraguayan, 26, played a key role in Olimpia Asunçion winning the Paraguayan domestic league, scoring 10 goals and 7 assists in 28 matches. He also featured in the prestigious Copa Libertadores competition for Olimpia this year.
Brian Montenegro had two previous spells in England at West Ham and Leeds United earlier in his career. He failed to net a single goal for either of the English clubs but since moving to Olimpia in 2017, the 26-year-old has quietly rebuilt his reputation. That being said, should Norwich City take a punt on Montenegro?
Norwich began the season well, with the likes of Teemu Pukki and Emi Buendia stealing the headlines, but they have since struggled to keep their momentum going and have declined, leaving them with an unconvincing 11 points after 16 games. They are 19th on the table, four points from safety.
Pukki is back scoring goals of late but the Canaries have managed just one win from their last five league games. Apart from Pukki, Daniel Farke has very little options as far as the striking department is concerned.
Josip Drmic is expected to be out until January with a hamstring problem, while Dennis Srbeny and Adam Idah are unproven at the highest level – although Srbeny notched his first Premier League goal at Everton last month.
If Norwich are to avoid relegation at the first time of asking, adding a couple of players during the winter transfer window is a must. A centre-forward to compete with Pukki is definitely needed and Farke should go for Brian Montenegro.
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Montenegro may have done well in Paraguay but there will always be doubts given his failed spells with West Ham and Leeds. Furthermore, the Premier League is known for its fast-paced and physical nature of football.
Verdict
All evidence points to the fact that the 26-year-old may struggle to adapt but the Canaries must take a gamble on the Paraguayan purely based on his recent form.
Moving for Montenegro in January would certainly raise eyebrows but it is a gamble that could handsomely pay off for Farke’s Norwich.