Norwich City coach David Wagner believes talks over Todd Cantwell’s Carrow Road exit are progressing in the right direction with Rangers closing in on the former England U21 international, speaking to the Pink ‘Un.
Mick Beale might just be the ideal coach to coax that mercurial talent out of a footballer who’s reputation has gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson over the past few seasons. It’s only three years since Cantwell was being linked with a £30 million move to Manchester City or Liverpool. It certainly feels a lot longer.
But Beale, at QPR, had Ilias Chair and Joe Willock – two highly-technical attacking midfielders – playing the best football of their careers. Malik Tillman and Ryan Kent, meanwhile, have been some of the standout early successes of Beale’s spell in the Ibrox dugout too.
Cantwell, then, could be onto a good thing as he looks to jump-start his stalling career north of the border under a coach who prefers a possession-based, attacking style while finding room for an orthodox ‘number ten’.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Rangers and Norwich have agreed terms on a deal for the so-called ‘Dereham Deco’. Cantwell could undergo a medical before Saturday’s Scottish Cup trip to St Johnstone.
But while Wagner did not go as far as to confirm that a deal has been reached, he did admit that a player labelled ‘better than Joe Aribo’ is likely to be on his way imminently.
Rangers reportedly agree to sign Norwich City’s Todd Cantwell
“Regarding Todd, we gave him the time to sort his future,” says the former Huddersfield Town boss. “It is not sorted, so far, but everything that I hear suggests it is on a good way.”
Cantwell was reportedly valued at £40 million as recently as July 2021; Aston Villa identifying the skilful, right-footed attacking midfielder as a potential successor to the stylistically-similar Jack Grealish (The Sun).
With his contract running down, however, Cantwell is likely to leave for a minor fraction of that £40 million fee.
“I think eventually he’ll play (for a) top-six club,” former Celtic striker Chris Sutton told BBC back in 2020. “I think he’s an exceptional, exceptional player.”
Rediscover that form at Rangers, and Beale will have a player capable of winning games all on his own and bending the Scottish football scene to his whim.
‘Easily £10 million and above’
“He’s a luxury player. One of those luxury players at the top end of the pitch who, if you give him the ball, he will create goals out of nothing. He’d be outstanding at home for Rangers. The big stage, the big crowd. That’s his element,” says former Norwich coach Gary Holt (Record).
“You could bring him on for the last 20 minutes away and he’d win you the game. But play him at places where you will dictate the game and he can certainly unlock doors. Not a problem.”
“Todd is similar (to Tillman) in terms of getting the ball in the final third and drifting away from his opponent. Michael will like him,” Holt adds.
“(He can be worth) easily £10m and above. Todd can light it up on the biggest stage. Rangers fans will love him because of what he can do. Give him the ball and he’ll create for you.
“I’d say Todd’s technically better than Joe Aribo. Joe is more robust and has more energy. But Todd’s a gifted footballer with a very good brain in him. He was mentioned the £35m mark a few years ago and you don’t lose that.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
