- Norwich are aiming for promotion to the Premier League next season.
- Philippe Clement is next set for his first full season at Carrow Road.
- Exclusively speaking to Read Norwich, Dean Ashton praises the Belgian.
Norwich City’s aim in the upcoming summer transfer window is to build Philippe Clement a team that can compete for promotion to the Premier League.
The Canaries finished ninth in the Championship in the 2025/26 campaign, having been in the relegation zone when Clement replaced Liam Manning.
They are already looking at possible signings, such as Dundee’s Luke Graham, to come in and form part of a promotion-winning squad.
Dean Ashton, speaking exclusively with Read Norwich via BetGoodwin, has backed the Belgian boss to lead the club to the top-flight.
‘I couldn’t see a way back’
Ashton made 16 Premier League appearances for Norwich, scoring seven goals, in the 2004/05 campaign, but he believed that they were on their way to League One at the start of the campaign.
He told Read Norwich: “Bizarre season. I sat there, dumfounded, working on a couple of the games under (Liam) Manning, thinking this team is, without a doubt, getting relegated.
“I couldn’t see a way back, really, and then they bring in (Philippe) Clement and what a job (he did). I think it has been underestimated what he was able to achieve to get them even close to the play-offs from where they were.
“I don’t understand it, if I am honest. I would love to sit him down (Clement) and talk through it. What he’s had to deal with during the season in terms of injuries to key players.
“(Jovon) Makama comes in at the perfect time when (Josh) Sargent has his dispute with the club (and) does brilliantly, looking like one of the best players in the league, then you lose him, Sargent goes, and then (Mohamed) Toure comes in and he’s a superstar.
“He gave the whole squad (a sign) that everyone had an opportunity to show that they are capable and he upped the levels (so) that anyone who stepped in, younger player or senior player, did a job.
“There’s so many positives to look forward to, but can you keep the manager?”
‘I can’t imagine anyone could have stopped Norwich’
Ashton is now backing Norwich to earn promotion to the Premier League next season under Clement, and believes that they would have gone up this term if he had more time in charge.
When asked if the ex-Rangers boss can lead the club to promotion, the pundit said: “Without a doubt, if he stays. He seems to have the passion and the love for the supporters. His connection (with the club) was clear to see at the end of the season.
“With the recruitment that was really good in the last two windows, you give him a couple of more experienced players in there, there is absolutely no reason why he couldn’t take them (Norwich) to the Premier League.
“He probably would have done if he had five or six more games. I can’t imagine anyone could have stopped Norwich getting to the Premier League if they had got to the play-offs.”
‘I genuinely believe that we can win it’
Before Norwich get their 2026/27 Championship campaign underway, there is the small matter of the World Cup this summer.
The Canaries have Anis Ben Slimane (Tunisia), Ali Ahmed (Canada), Jose Cordoba (Panama), Kenny McLean (Scotland), and Mohamed Toure (Australia) set to compete at the tournament.
Ashton, though, is backing England to go all the way and finally bring glory to the nation for the first time since 1966.
He said: “I can’t help but be excited when I look at the talent that we (England) have got. We’ve got the experience at tournaments, so that expectation is really high.
“I find it great, as someone who constantly supports the national team, that I can actually be excited about a tournament thinking that we can win it. Genuinely thinking that we can win it, not sort of false hope, but I genuinely believe that we can win it.
“But, as the tournaments have shown, key choices from the manager, key players stepping up at certain times, and things going our way, and it could be a successful (tournament) for us.
“At the same time, never rule it out that we just go out (of the tournament).”
