Norwich City: Champions League outfit eye Borja Sainz transfer with €25m fee mooted | OneFootball

Borja Sainz could be a target for Girona this January, with a fee of between €20-25m mooted for the Norwich City star.

Norwich City forward Borja Sainz is attracting interest from Spanish side Girona, who currently compete in the Champions League.

Fichajes are reporting that Girona are the latest to add Sainz's name to their list of potential targets. They currently sit seventh in the top-flight table and are chasing down Mallorca and Villarreal in the hunt for European football again next season.

Given he was aged only 22 when he arrived in East Anglia, when the Canaries signed the Spanish winger ahead of the 2023/24 season, there was plenty of excitement. After a solid first season, he hasn’t disappointed and has stepped up to the task in his second campaign.

Having joined from Turkish side Giresunspor, Sainz was an under-the-radar acquisition, but his early displays suggest he could be a vital piece in Norwich's quest for promotion this season under Johannes Hoff Thorup. Sainz has become a key player for the side and displayed an abundance of quality this term.

Per FotMob, no player has more goal contributions in the division after 26 league games, with Sainz on one more than Finn Azaz. That sort of form is likely to attract interest in a player who is not yet at his peak, and is.

Girona eye Borja Sainz swoop

Norwich are once again proving themselves to be play-off contenders, but retaining Sainz's services could prove to be vitally important if they are going to sustain a serious promotion push for the rest of the season. The Canaries have seen many young talents flourish at Carrow Road, and Sainz is the next in line.

When considering his age and skill-set, as well as the fact he is now a key player — it is fair to say Norwich will be demanding a large fee for his services from any interested party, be that in the summer or in January if an opportunity Sainz wishes to take emerges.

Now, Fichajes have reported that Girona are eyeing a move for him and that the price tag is expected to be around €20 - 25 million if they are to strike a deal for his services this month or in the summer transfer window.

That highlights how shrewd of an investment it was to bring him in, and that raw potential and clear promise is becoming more meaningful output. Naturally, that has sparked plenty of interest, with reports earlier in the season surfacing that claimed Athletic Club are interested in the former Real Zaragoza man.

Per Transfermarkt, last season he contributed to 10 goals in 41 games in all competitions for a side who reached the play-offs. A season of gradual adaptation and acclimatisation always beckoned in season one for Sainz, but he has now certainly vindicated the optimism that had surrounded his arrival as the season went on.

He has transitioned into a key performer on the Canaries' left flank with his creativity, ball-carrying, and dangerous goal threat. He already has 19 goal contributions in all competitions so far this season for Norwich. While his pace and dribbling were already a useful dimension to the team in attack, he is now giving them more in the way of output, and he will happily cut inside to attack the box or hold the width to provide creativity, particularly in transition.

The high of this season included a hat-trick against Derby County, and at just 23 years old, the winger is still developing, and Norwich fans believe he has the potential to become one of the top players in the division, if he isn't already one. It makes losing him to his ban even more of a blow, having caused defenders nightmares for months.

Sainz has been suspended for six matches after admitting to spitting at Sunderland's Chris Mepham in December. The Championship's leading scorer has also be fined £12,000 by the Football Association for the incident which took place at the Stadium of Light.