Where have the German manager’s first five signings gone?
HIGHLIGHTS
- Daniel Farke’s first signing, Marley Watkins, had a relatively unimpressive season with Norwich City and was sold to Bristol City the following summer. He now plays for Kilmarnock.
- Christoph Zimmermann, a solid defender, played a key role in Farke’s promotions with Norwich City. He currently plays for Darmstadt 98, who recently won promotion to the Bundesliga.
- Angus Gunn, who initially joined Norwich City on loan, eventually made a permanent return to the club after spending time with Southampton and Stoke City. He is still playing for Norwich City.
Daniel Farke had a lot of success at Norwich City, and he brought in a lot of good players.
Farke won the Championship twice in three seasons during his stint at Carrow Road.
People would accuse them of being a ‘yo-yo team’ because they won the championship, were comfortably relegated from the Premier championship, and then won the second division title again. But winning the Championship in his second season with the club, and then doing it again so soon after, was still astounding.
He was able to bring in potential and develop young players who were subsequently sold for large sums of money. Farke, for example, signed Emi Buendia, and Ben Godfrey began to develop as a strong talent under his supervision.
But what about the initial signings? How far did they get? What happened to them?
We’ll answer those questions right now by looking at his first five signings.
Marley Watkins
Unsurprisingly, the German’s first move was a free transfer. They signed Watkins virtually as soon as the summer transfer window opened in 2017, and Farke had only been at the club for a few days.
The winger was only at the club for a year before being sold to Bristol City in the next summer window for close to £1 million.
He didn’t have a particularly successful season with the Canaries. In the 2017/18 season, he only managed to score one league goal.
The Welshman is presently playing in the Scottish Premiership for Kilmarnock.
Christoph Zimmermann
The German came from Borussia Dortmund II, where the club’s new boss had previously worked. During his time at the club, there were numerous arrivals from Germany.
Zimmerman was a prominent and consistent fixture in Norwich’s 17/18 team, appearing in 39 of their 46 games.
He was a competent defender who contributed significantly to both of Farke’s promotions in the South East.
Zimmermann just helped his current club, Darmstadt 98, gain promotion to the Bundesliga. Apart from the Premier League, he’s a serial winner, it turns out.
Angus Gunn
When the Scotsman joined the club on loan in 2017, how many fans anticipated him to return on a permanent basis over four years later?
Gunn is still playing for Norwich, as all Canaries fans are aware.
After a successful loan spell with the club as a 21-year-old, he was purchased by Southampton from Manchester City for just under £10 million.
With the exception of a season-long loan to Stoke City, he spent the majority of the next few years with the Saints. He eventually returned to Norfolk for £5.2 million in 2021.
Mario Vrancic
Vrancic was actually the club’s first acquisition. They paid Darmstadt, Zimmermann’s current club, €750,000 (£660,000) for his services.
He remained with the club throughout Farke’s tenure as manager at Carrow Road.
In his home Bosnia & Herzegovina, the now 34-year-old plays for FK Sarajevo.
Harrison Reed
Farke’s fifth signing for Norwich was the midfielder. He is the only one of the five to have remained in or near the Premier League following the club’s two relegations.
Reed only spent one season with the Canaries before returning to his parent club, Southampton. But, for someone in their early twenties, he played a lot that year. He appeared in 36 games as a starter.
The now 28-year-old Fulham player has had a good time with the club. He helped them gain promotion two seasons ago and has adjusted well to life in England’s top flight.
| Player | Where is he now? |
|---|---|
| Marley Watkins | Kilmarnock |
| Christoph Zimmermann | Darmstadt 98 |
| Angus Gunn | Norwich City |
| Mario Vrancic | FK Sarajevo |
| Harrison Reed | Fulham |
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