Why Norwich must hold onto Ben Godfrey amidst Tottenham interest

According to Football Insider (h/t The Sun) has credited Tottenham with an interest in Norwich youngster Ben Godfrey.

The report confirms that Tottenham are monitoring the £25m centre-back in a view to signing him in the January transfer window as Jose Mourinho is looking to bolster his defensive unit.

The Lilywhites have conceded 7 in their last 4 games after Mourinho was appointed their manager last month. The Portuguese is known to depend heavily on his defensive unit to get a better result. And Tottenham seem to be leaky at the back.

Therefore, Ben Godfrey is their target in the upcoming transfer window so that they can bring in back up for their defensive duo Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. The Belgian centre-backs have their contracts expiring in the summer.

Meanwhile, last season’s Championship winners Norwich City are languishing at the bottom of the table and there are concerns over them being relegated at the end of the season. Despite playing well against teams like Manchester City and Arsenal, they have not been able to move away from the relegation zone.

In this regard, centre-back Godfrey has been outstanding for them despite the Canaries’ poor run of form. He has been their only hope at the heart of the defence and has put in some stellar performances. He has started in all 15 league games this term.

The England U21 international has also caught the eyes of several other teams like Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Lyon, with the French outfit’s former sporting director watching six of Godfrey’s games, according to the report.

With a host of clubs monitoring his talent, Norwich City are trying hard to keep hold of him, especially with Tottenham ahead of other teams in the race to sign him.

Along with Teemu Pukki, Godfrey was instrumental in Norwich securing promotion to the Premier League for this season. In the 31 games he played last season, the youngster had helped the team keep 13 clean sheets, thus adding to his credentials.

The 21-year-old is a highly-regarded player and has shown confidence after playing in the Premier League this season. Godfrey can go on to develop himself as one of the best defenders in the league if he moves to a top club and is sure to excel at a higher level.

According to Whoscored, Godfrey has registered 1 tackle, 1.2 interceptions and 4.9 clearances per game this campaign. His numbers are exciting for a player of his age and for someone who plays for a club of lesser stature. Therefore, the onus is on Daniel Farke to convince Godfrey to stay with the Canaries.

Read more

• Why Norwich City should make a move for Pawel Bochniewicz in January
• Why Norwich should keep hold of Emiliano Buendia amidst interest
• Why Norwich City should revisit their interest in Jordan Rhodes in January

Verdict

Norwich City are at a point where they cannot let go of their best player mid-way through the season. They are already in a weak position and if Godfrey leaves, things can get out of control for the Canaries.

Therefore, it would be wise for Norwich to avoid interest from top English clubs for the centre-back and must get the best out him to progress above the relegation zone.