HITC Sport have reported today that, according to “sources close to the club”, Norwich City have enquired into the availability of Plymouth youth star Ben Purrington. The Pilgrims’ left back made fourteen appearances in League Two last season and was subsequently nominated for the Apprenticeship of the Year award, which was won by Connor Chaplin of Portsmouth. Norwich are attempting to beat the crowd of interested parties and lure Purrington with the potential of Premier League football with the tutoring of Swedish international Martin Olsson.
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The nineteen-year old came through the youth ranks at Argyle and now, with just one year left on his current deal, looks set to leave the club with numerous suitors lining up to take the hot prospect. However, his development this year has stalled slightly due to a wrist injury which meant he only made nine appearances as Plymouth reached the play off semi-finals, being defeated by Wycombe Wanderers.
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With Harry Toffolo – who spent 2014/15 on loan at Swindon – already at the club, who is slightly more experienced than Purrington and having featured in the FA Youth Cup victory of 2013, any move for the Plymouth youngster by the Canaries would certainly seem a strange one. On the other hand, with only one senior left back in the squad in the shape of Martin Olsson after Javier Garrido’s release, Norwich will definitely need to reinforce the back four if they are wanting to keep a tight ship – something that the Canaries have never been experts on. A Plymouth youth prospect, however much potential he may have, will not be the answer to a defensive crisis that would manifest itself should anything happen to Olsson.
