Ricky van Wolfswinkel will not join Norwich City if they are relegated.
The Holland international has been linked with a host of top clubs in the past, including the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United, due initially to his form in the colours of Utrecht. Van Wolfswinkel scored 26 goals in 64 league games for the Stadion Galgenwaard outfit, and this led to Sporting Lisbon stealing a march on his other suitors by taking him for £6million in 2011.
He has gone on to make 68 appearances in all competitions for the Portuguese club, bagging 33 goals in the process. Last month it was revealed that Norwich had agreed a deal with Sporting to sign the 24-year-old when the transfer window reopens in the summer, with the player poised to sign a four-year contract with the Carrow Road club.
However, the Canaries are currently fighting for their lives in the Premier League, having won just one of their last 16 matches. This leaves Chris Hughton’s men four points clear of the relegation zone with five matches remaining, and if they eventually finish the campaign in the bottom three, they can forget all about adding van Wolfswinkel to their squad.
“There is a special clause in the deal accepted by all parties that stipulates if Norwich leave the Premier League then the future of Ricky van Wolfswinkel will be open again,” agent Louis Laros told A Bola. “That is the reality, but we are confident in the ability of the English club to remain in the top division. For now Ricky is only thinking about Sporting and helping them to get results. At the end of the season he will start to focus on Norwich.”
