A new goalkeeping era at Norwich City is set to be inaugurated this summer.
With long-serving 'keeper Angus Gunn having been released, and Plymouth Argyle's Daniel Grimshaw signing for the club last week, major changes within the goalkeeping department are already underway.
However, these moves only mark the beginning of an overhaul. Grimshaw will likely serve as new boss Liam Manning's deputy between the sticks, with former deputy George Long having fallen out of favour at the climax of last season. Alongside Long's likely departure, young Chilean Vicente Reyes is also expected to head out on another developmental loan move.
Even after all of this business has been completed, the problem of who succeeds Gunn as Norwich's number one still remains. A handful of rumoured replacements have been circulating of late, including Wigan Athletic youngster Sam Tickle and Sporting Clube de Portugal's Vladan Kovačević. However, the Canaries expect to face tough competition for Kovačević, and it would take a substantial fee to prize Tickle from the Latics.
Here are three goalkeepers that would all prove an ideal replacement for the departing Scot:
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Sam Tickle
Of the two 'keepers heavily rumoured to have caught sporting director Ben Knapper's eye, it is the Wigan man who looks the more promising.
Last summer, the Bosnian stopper Kovačević was acquired by the reigning Portuguese champions for a sizeable fee. However, he quickly fell out of favour at Sporting, being loaned to Polish outfit Legia Warsaw in February. Alongside reportedly being tracked by a number of other Championship clubs, if Sporting hope to recoup most of their original outlay then Kovačević might not be worth the risk.
Tickle, on the other hand, enjoyed a productive season last time out in Lancashire. The Latics academy graduate posted an impressive 18 clean sheets and 42 goals conceded en route to his inclusion in the Sky Bet League One Team of the Season, despite his side otherwise being a relatively average outfit.
Wigan's 15th-placed finish seems unassuming, but Tickle's assuredness between the sticks merited better. This potential hasn't gone unnoticed, with the 23-year-old making his debut for England's Under-21 side last March.
Like Kovačević, it would likely take a sizeable fee to prize Tickle away from his current club. However, with Norwich's newfound financial muscle under American owner Mark Attanasio, the club has demonstrated's its willingness to muster up these fees for players they desire.
A new 'keeper capable of competing at the top end of the Championship won't come cheap, but Norwich absolutely must bite the bullet this summer. At such a young age, Tickle is surely worth the likely fee required.
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Viktor Johansson
Let's face it, the perfect window of opportunity for keen Sky Bet Championship clubs to acquire the services of Viktor Johansson is long gone. That opportunity came last summer, when the Swede's former club Rotherham United succumbed to yet another second-tier relegation and were forced to sell.
Stoke City won that race, and Johansson has only maintained the sort of form that single-handedly kept Rotherham from beating the club's own record-lowest Championship points tally.
Of course, it was unlikely that Norwich were ever going to try for Johansson last season, with Gunn's form still up there with the best 'keepers in the division at the time.
What's more, unlike Rotherham, the Potters managed to avoid relegation this campaign. They don't have to sell Johansson, so long as he is happy to stay.
However, Carrow Road has certainly proved a more attractive destination for both players and managers than the Bet365 Stadium of late. Norwich are still a club with ambitions of competing at the upper echelons of the Championship, and even after an awful campaign were able to demonstrate that pull. Tempting Bristol City boss Manning back to Norfolk was no easy feat, especially with the Robins posting a far better league finish than Norwich.
If Norwich's ambitions align with Johansson's, persuading him to link up with Manning is not unachievable. Anything near the sort of form he has demonstrated in his last two Championship seasons, ranking among the league's best in save percentage and saves per 90 minutes, would be a major improvement on Gunn.
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Max O'Leary
Bristol City 'keeper Max O'Leary is another of the Championship's best-in-class.
An ever-present in his side's last two league campaigns, O'Leary was finally awarded his international debut for the Republic of Ireland last night in Luxembourg.
In an otherwise dismal performance from the Boys in Green, O'Leary made a number of crucial saves from former Norwich man Danel Sinani and Vincent Thill to ensure Ireland escaped the Grand Duchy's capital city with a 0-0 draw.
The 28-year-old's shot-stopping was a major reason why Manning's former side reached their first Championship play-off semi-final since earning promotion back to the second tier in the 2014/15 campaign. En route to their 6th-placed finish, O'Leary tallied double-figures in clean sheets for the second consecutive season.
Obviously, the Manning connection is the principal reason to why a Carrow Road move for O'Leary seems a possibility. If Bristol City's manager is willing to jump ship, so could their 'keeper.
While Bristol City did well to reach the play-offs last term, Norwich are the sort of side who set their sights on Premier League promotion every single campaign. Higher wages may also convince O'Leary to leave the club he has represented for so many years.
What's more, unlike Tickle and Johansson, O'Leary's acquisition won't break the bank. The Robins academy graduate is entering the final year of his contract at Ashton Gate, meaning he may well be available for a cut-price this summer.
