Bristol City: New claim emerges on status of Norwich City interest in Liam Manning | OneFootball

Norwich City are believed to be interested in Bristol City head coach Liam Manning, but no official approach has yet been made.

Norwich City are reportedly yet to make an approach for Bristol City head coach Liam Manning amid speculation linking him with a move to Carrow Road.

That's according to Bristol Live, who claim that there has been no contact between the two clubs, despite talkSPORT claiming on Friday that Norwich are "showing an interest" in Manning.

Manning made the move from Oxford United to take over at Bristol City in November 2023, and he led the club to the Championship play-offs for the first time since 2008 this season as they finished sixth in the table.

Unfortunately for the Robins, their play-off adventure proved to be unsuccessful as they suffered a record-breaking 6-0 aggregate defeat to Sheffield United in the semi-finals, but their cause was not helped by the controversial red card shown to Rob Dickie in the first leg at Ashton Gate that allowed the Blades to establish a three-goal lead ahead of the return fixture at Bramall Lane.

However, missing out on promotion does not detract from the impressive work Manning has done this campaign, and the Canaries are not the only club keeping tabs on him, with the 39-year-old said to be one of the names in the frame for the Leicester City job should they decide to part company with Ruud van Nistelrooy this summer following relegation from the Premier League.

Latest on Norwich City's interest in Bristol City head coach Liam Manning

Norwich are currently on the hunt for a new manager following the sacking of Johannes Hoff Thorup last month.

Jack Wilshere was widely expected to be given the permanent job after taking interim charge of the Canaries following Thorup's exit, but sporting director Ben Knapper confirmed last week that he is not under consideration for the full-time role, and he is now set to depart Carrow Road altogether.

With Wilshere no longer in contention, a host of names have been linked with the vacant Norwich job, and according to The Telegraph, the club have already interviewed former Bournemouth and Wolves manager Gary O'Neil, while Jürgen Klopp's former assistant at Liverpool, Pep Lijnders, will also hold talks with the Norfolk outfit.

Ex-Nottingham Forest and Leicester boss Steve Cooper has reportedly been "sounded out" by the Canaries, but he is said to be "unlikely" to be interested in the position as things stand, while former captain Russell Martin, who has made no secret of his desire to get back into management after being dismissed by Southampton in December, is not in the running.

Manning is thought to be the latest name on Norwich's radar, but Bristol Live claim that no formal approach has yet been made, and Bristol City are "keen to keep" their head coach, who has two years left on his contract at Ashton Gate.

Norwich City may need to prepare for Liam Manning disappointment

After years of mid-table mediocrity, Manning succeeded where many previous Bristol City managers have failed in guiding them to the Championship play-offs this season, so it is easy to see why he is attracting attention from elsewhere.

Norwich will be looking to mount a promotion push next term after a disappointing 13th-placed finish this season, so Manning would certainly fit the bill for the Canaries, and the fact that he was born in the city and is a former Carrow Road season ticket holder only adds further fuel to the rumours.

However, Manning has a strong connection with Robins supporters, and there is a solid platform for him to build on at Ashton Gate, so it would be a surprise to see him walk away from the club, particularly given that he has already spoken about his plans for next season.