Norwich boss Chris Hughton made his seventh signing of the summer transfer window earlier today by acquiring long-term target Gary Hooper from Glasgow Celtic. The 25-year-old arrives at Carrow Road on a three-year deal – though the club have the option of another year – for a reported fee of around £5m and follows the likes of Ricky Van Wolfswinkel, Nathan Redmond, Leroy Fer and Martin Olsson to the club as Hughton looks to push on from last season’s eleventh place finish.
In an interview with the club’s official website, Hooper revealed his determination to prove himself in England’s top-flight after a highly successful stint at Parkhead under Neil Lennon:
“There’s been a lot of speculation going back to January and I’m pleased to have finally put pen to paper and joined Norwich. I can’t wait to get down to work, to get training with the lads and working with the coaching staff. I knew Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood from my youth days at Spurs so it will be great to be back working with them in the Premier League. I have scored goals at every level I have played at and the challenge of playing in the Premier League is really exciting to me.”
The History
A product of the Tottenham youth academy, Hooper was released by the north London club at the age of 14 back in 2002. His career got underway at Conference club Grays Athletic but, after scoring 20 times in 69 appearances, he was released again in the summer of 2006. Picked up by Southend United, he scored just twice in 32 appearances over two years and was farmed out on loan to Leyton Orient (four games, two goals) and Hereford United (19 matches, 11 goals) before Scunthorpe paid £175,000 for his services in July 2008.
Hooper’s eye for goal was instantly in evidence for Scunthorpe. A total of 24 goals in 45 league appearances in 2008/09 saw him voted Player of the Year and helped earn the club promotion to the Championship. The goals flowed once again the following season, with 19 strikes and six assists in 35 matches persuading Celtic to shell out over £2m in the summer of 2010.
Hooper wreaked havoc in his new surrounds and was the Hoops’ top scorer in each of his three seasons at Parkhead. In just 95 league appearances, he registered an eye-catching 63 goals and 24 assists, helping the club to a couple of league titles, with two Scottish Cups also accrued.
The Prospects
Having watched his side suffer back-to-back 1-0 pre-season friendly losses, Hughton has moved quickly to address a lack of attacking edge. While Norwich were decent defensively from a Fantasy perspective last term, chalking up 10 clean sheets, a 4-4-1-1 formation failed to harvest many goals – the Canaries found the net on just 41 occasions, a tally better than only Stoke (34) and relegated QPR (30).
The earlier arrival of Van Wolfswinkel had suggested Hughton would continue with his somewhat cautious approach and roll out a lone striker system once again but Norwich’s pre-season failings have perhaps led to a change of heart. Certainly, with over £13m spent on the pair, it’s fair to assume Hooper will now be expected to line up alongside the Dutchman in a 4-4-2, potentially handing Fantasy managers greater options amongst the Carrow Road squad.
Although the former Celtic star is a little more diminutive than Van Wolfswinkel (five foot nine to six foot one), Hughton’s new forwards have relatively similar attributes – both possess good movement in the box and a penchant for playing on the shoulder of the last defender – though Hooper’s renowned work ethic and link-up play may see him drop deep more often, with his unselfishness highlighted by that average of eight assists per season at Celtic.
Yet to be listed in the Fantasy games, a price of around 6.5 or 7.0 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) seems on the cards, bearing in mind that Van Wolfswinkel will set you back 7.0, whilst key creative force, Robert Snodgrass, is available for 6.5.
Hooper’s addition to the Canaries ranks now gives Fantasy managers something of a dilemma. While Snodgrass dominated the scene last term, there are now further options as we consider a kind batch of opening fixtures which has Hughton’s side play host to Everton, Southampton and Villa in the opening five Gameweeks, in addition to a trip to Hull. Given his eye for goal, Hooper looks a more than viable target as we assemble our squads ahead of the season kick-off, with his arrival sure to bolster the Canaries chances of improving upon last term’s dire scoring record.
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