Norwich City transfer talk: Sainz in Athletic Bilbao sights.

Borja Sainz has been linked with a move to Athletic and Villarreal, both Champions League qualifiers. Borja Sainz has reportedly spoken with Athletic Bilbao, as the Norwich City forward gets interest from two of Spain’s Champions League qualifiers. Catalan media outlets reported late on Monday night that Sainz had communicated with Bilbao’s football manager, Mikel González, since the end of the season. Sainz confirmed on his own social media account that he was back in Bilbao last week for the Europa League final between Tottenham and Manchester United. The 24-year-old is expected to depart Carrow Road following an impressive Championship season in which he scored 22 goals in 41 league games and was named to the team of the season.

Sainz is entering the final year of his current City contract, and sporting director Ben Knapper has recently stated that he anticipates strong interest in both Sainz and Josh Sargent this summer. The Spaniard’s agents were in Colney in the last weeks of the season for conversations, and a return home is likely. The left winger began his career with Athletic, who finished in the top four of La Liga to advance to the group rounds of next season’s premier European club championship. Villarreal has also contacted Sainz’s camp, and the ‘Yellow Submarines’ can now offer a Champions League carrot after Uefa confirmed their spot in the competition for next season on Monday.

The Spanish side finished one place lower in La Liga than Bilbao, but were awarded one of two ‘performance spots’ in the 2025/26 Champions League group phase, along with Newcastle United, based on their respective leagues’ performance in European club competitions this season. The Spanish summer transfer window is set to open officially on July 1. Knapper is close to appointing Bristol City’s Liam Manning to replace outgoing head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup. However, the City football manager must also supervise a summer roster overhaul, which will include player departures. “We’re a business at the end of the day, so we need to make sure that things balance,” he told Pinkun during his postseason media round. “We’re not completely bound by having to sell players before we can do anything. It’s not a situation like that. But of course, it’s a factor.

“We work in multiple windows ahead of time, trying to forecast what might or might not happen and what that means for your approach. That is normal. That applies to any club heading into the summer. “You must also consider the player’s perspective. We recognise where we are in the bigger kind of landscape, and that has to be a component in what happens as well. “If a player is offered a tremendous opportunity to play in the Premier League or Champions League, and a club comes forward with a proposition that meets the requirements, you must also be sensible. That’s just a dynamic that all clubs face when you’ve got good players in a good squad.”.

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