Football League World
·17 August 2023
Football League World
·17 August 2023
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Norwich City had to be patient to ensure they sold Milot Rashica for "the correct price", Canaries boss David Wagner has said after the winger's move to Besiktas was confirmed yesterday.
The 27-year-old's Carrow Road exit has looked on the cards all summer despite taking part in a pre-season training camp - having spent last season out on loan at Galatasaray, never featured under Wagner, and played only four games of Championship football for the Norfolk club.
Even so, the sale of Rashica has not been without its hiccups. The Kosovo international helped Galatasaray win the Turkish Super Lig last term and had been heavily linked with a move back to the club before opting instead for Besiktas.
The Turkish club have confirmed that the total transfer fee is €5.25m (£4.5m), which is some way short of the £9.4m that they're reported to have paid Werder Bremen for him in 2021 - though the performance related clauses in both deals may mean that Norwich have not lost as much on the player as it first seems.
Speaking to FLW after his side's Carabao Cup victory over QPR on Wednesday evening, Wagner highlighted the importance of Norwich's patience concerning Rashica and the fee they were able to get for him.
He said: "I think we all together have been very serious to deal with this situation. We all together have known what he and we wanted. Obviously, now we all together got what he and we wanted, I think.
"As I said before, we had to be patient enough in those situations to sell him for the correct price. This is what we have done now and, obviously, there were a lot of things going on in the last days, a lot of work to do before this cup game as well, but I'm quite happy with everything so far."
Were the 27-year-old willing to commit to a season in the Championship and the sort of intensity that Wagner demands from his players, then his form before he arrived at Norwich suggests that he could have been an asset.
But ultimately, his departure brings money into the club and creates space on the wage bill so could help the the German coach bring in more reinforcements before the summer window slams shut at the end of September.
We're yet to see the Canaries dip into the Premier League loan market and it would be no surprise for them to do so over the next fortnight.