Relegation-threatened Norwich under no pressure to sell players: Farke

London

Norwich City may be destined for relegation from the Premier League this season but the club is under no financial pressure to sell their best players if they cannot avoid the drop, manager Daniel Farke said on Monday.

Norwich, who are on a five-match losing run in the league, are bottom of the standings with 21 points, seven from the safety zone with five rounds of fixtures to be played.

“Every club struggles after relegation but the base for this club is great. We have values, principles and a clear philosophy,” Farke told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s match at Watford.

“It won’t be easy next season, wherever we are. Young players can develop quicker than the club. If a big club wants to sign them, it shows we’re doing something right.

“The good thing is we’re financially solid and don’t have pressure to sell.”

City gained automatic promotion to the top flight after topping the second-tier Championship last season, winning 27 games and losing only six times.

However, they have lost 22 games in the Premier League this season — more than any other team — and Farke said the squad’s morale had taken a beating.

“This job always takes energy out of you. It’s difficult in terms of man management and handling the pressure,” Farke added.

“Last season, we had success after success but it took a lot of energy. This season is more exhausting, but we’ll have a short break in the summer to recover.

“For several of them (young players), it’s the first time in their careers they’ve had criticism. Every player has to go through difficult times and setbacks, it’s part of the journey to grow. It’s important to stick together.”