Norwich City face relegation danger as Philippe Clement handed January transfer dilemma

Norwich City are at risk of being dragged into a relegation battle unless Philippe Clement can quickly turn around their disappointing start to the Championship season.

The Canaries have won just three of their opening 11 league matches, losing the other eight, and growing pressure is being placed on Clement to improve results at Carrow Road.

The Belgian took charge almost a year ago after replacing Liam Manning and initially enjoyed a significant improvement in form, helping Norwich move away from the threat of relegation. However, the club are now facing similar concerns again, with Clement needing to find solutions before their position deteriorates further.

Norwich City struggling to find consistency under Philippe Clement

Norwich began the campaign with consecutive defeats against West Bromwich Albion and Millwall before briefly showing signs of recovery.

Victories over Burnley, Sheffield United and Birmingham City in four matches offered encouragement that Clement could get his side moving in the right direction.

Unfortunately for the Canaries, that progress has quickly unravelled. They have since suffered six consecutive defeats across all competitions, including five losses in the Championship, leaving the manager under increasing pressure.

Their defensive record has been a particular concern. Norwich have conceded 21 goals in their first 11 league matches, with only Preston North End shipping more at the time covered by the original report.

Clement must find a way to tighten things up defensively if Norwich are to avoid becoming embroiled in a relegation fight. The performances of his goalkeepers could prove particularly important as the club look to regain some stability.

Vladan Kovacevic struggling to reproduce last season’s form

Vladan Kovacevic arrived at Norwich from Portuguese club Sporting CP in the summer of 2025, taking on the responsibility of becoming the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.

The Bosnian made 45 Championship appearances during his debut campaign, and his performances were encouraging. According to the statistics cited in the original report, he prevented 5.74 goals compared with expectations, placing him among the division’s better-performing goalkeepers.

His form this season, however, has been a different story.

The same report’s FotMob figures showed Kovacevic had conceded 4.7 more goals than expected, giving him the worst record in the Championship for that particular measure at the time.

The 28-year-old has missed Norwich’s last two matches while following concussion protocols, but his replacement, Daniel Grimshaw, has also struggled to provide the necessary reassurance.

That situation could force Clement and Norwich’s recruitment team to consider their options ahead of the January transfer window.

January goalkeeper signing could become a priority

With Norwich struggling at both ends of the pitch, Clement needs improvements across the team if he is to ease the pressure surrounding his position.

The goalkeeping situation presents a difficult decision. Kovacevic previously demonstrated that he could perform well in the Championship, but his current statistics raise questions about whether he can rediscover that form quickly enough.

Grimshaw’s performances have done little to remove those concerns, potentially leaving Norwich short of convincing options in a key position.

A January addition could therefore become an important consideration if the club’s defensive problems continue. However, Clement’s immediate priority will be to improve the players already available to him and halt the losing run.

With Norwich’s results deteriorating and relegation concerns beginning to emerge, the coming weeks could prove decisive for both the manager and the club’s plans for the second half of the season.