Reading FC deal would ease Norwich City, Grant Hanley fears | OneFootball

Tyler Bindon would be an excellent replacement for Grant Hanley if he made the move to Carrow Road in January.

Grant Hanley could potentially leave Norwich City during the January transfer window.

That is according to manager Johannes Hoff Thorup, who spoke about the centre-back's future at Carrow Road with the Pink Un.

The Canaries boss said: "From a selfish perspective, I want to keep him because he's a leader and he's a captain, and he's a very experienced guy; he's training well, and he's good around the young boys.

"But I can understand if he comes to me and says, ‘I want to play first-team football on a regular basis’. And then, of course, we need to sit down and look at the situation.

"And also, of course, obviously, what kind of offers will he get in January, because I think we have to be as honest to him as possible, and, of course, also to be realistic.

"But from a selfish perspective, I would like him in the group, but I can definitely understand if something comes up that you want to look at it."

The Scot has struggled for game time this season, not making as many starts as he would have wanted to.

Shane Duffy and Jose Cordoba remain ahead of him in the pecking order, and with his lack of game time and the fact his contract expires in 2025 in mind, a January exit could definitely be on the horizon for the 33-year-old.

There's no shortage of interest in him either, with clubs from the Championship, MLS and Scotland all thought to have taken an interest in the experienced defender.

If he leaves though, a replacement will need to come in to provide more depth in an important area for Norwich. They may regret letting him depart if someone doesn't replace him.

At this stage, they have Duffy, Cordoba and Callum Doyle available, as well as Hanley. If they lose Hanley, with the experience he has, they could find themselves short of decent options in this area and regret their decision to let him go. That's the last thing they need in their quest to climb up the table.

This is why a replacement is so crucial - and Tyler Bindon could be an excellent acquisition if the Scotland international departs.

According to Darren Witcoop, both Norwich and Blackburn Rovers went to see Reading centre-back Bindon in action on Boxing Day, with the Royals winning 4-1 against Northampton Town that day.

Not only are those two interested, but Football League World also believes Coventry City, Hull City and Watford are interested in a move for him.

The New Zealand international only has six months left on his contract at the Select Car Leasing Stadium and with the Berkshire outfit's financial challenges in mind, a fairly cheap deal could be struck for the teenager, though a potential bidding war could raise his price tag.

Tyler Bindon would be a perfect Grant Hanley replacement at Norwich City

Bindon showed his class against Mansfield Town on Sunday, not putting a foot wrong against a very decent outfit.

He had his work cut out for him against Lucas Akins, who is a strong figure at the top end of the pitch for Nigel Clough's men.

But he won his fair share of duels, was composed in difficult moments, helped out youngster and left-back Abraham Kanu, and ended up scoring the winning goal with a bicycle kick.

He hasn't just shone recently, the Kiwi has been a real asset throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

Showing maturity beyond his years and real intelligence, he often finds himself in the right place at the right time to cut out danger and covers well when needed. This maturity is why he can be a good replacement for Hanley, despite their differing levels of experience.

Also showing real ability on the ball and not being bullied off it despite the fact he's only 19, he has all the ability needed to play at the top level in the future.

If he wasn't winning his fair share of duels, he wouldn't be a good replacement for a player like Hanley. But he has been able to get the better of some of the biggest and most tricky attackers in League One.

It seems inevitable that he will leave the SCL Stadium sooner rather than later - and he would be a big miss if he does leave - considering how good he is as an all-round central defender.

Norwich should be looking to push hard to recruit the 19-year-old. Not only could he be an asset in the long term, but he can also contribute in the short term.

He may be playing in the third tier at this stage, but he is showing that he can make the step up.

And as a young player in a young team, he's had to grow up fairly quickly, so Norwich fans shouldn't worry if Bindon comes in as a replacement for their captain.