Latest news with #ChristianNorgaard
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
The unheralded Premier League signings who ended up being crucial to successful sides
Every transfer window, players sign for club-record fees to so much fanfare that, for several days afterwards, it feels like you never hear the end of it. The hype and build-up before they ever kick a ball for their new team are almost unbearable. And then there are those moves that go under the radar: arriving for relatively low fees or as free agents, expected to be backup options, yet they play their way into club folklore. Advertisement This summer, Arsenal fans have giddily welcomed Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad on a five-year contract for a fee of around €65million (£56.5m/$76.5m). After months of waiting for his arrival, there was inevitably relief when he finally put pen to paper. And yet, in Zubimendi's position and at the same club, there is a player who signed a few days later and already feels like he could go on to be a significant signing: Christian Norgaard, who joined from Brentford for an initial £10million ($13.6m). Norgaard might feel like a bonus prize, but given his experience in the league from his years captaining Brentford, it is a low-risk move that could yield high rewards. Nobody is expecting the 31-year-old to single-handedly bring home the top-flight title that Arsenal fans so desperately crave. But there is enough precedent to suggest that if, next May, Mikel Arteta's team do finally lift the trophy their club have been waiting to hold again since 2004, Norgaard could be one of those signings that fans look back on as crucial. In 2012, Cesar Azpilicueta joined Chelsea from Marseille for £7million. Among his nine major honours at Chelsea are two Premier League titles and one Champions League. The Spain international effectively ended Ashley Cole's legendary time as Chelsea's left-back and would go on to become captain of the club. He joined in the same summer as Eden Hazard and Oscar, skilful forwards who naturally arrived to a lot more hype than him, but Azpilicueta outlasted them both. Or take '60 grand' Seamus Coleman at Everton, who this upcoming season will play his 17th campaign for the club after signing a one-year contract extension. The Republic of Ireland full-back arrived from Sligo Rovers in his homeland during the January transfer window of 2009 for, you guessed it, £60,000. Coleman, now up to 427 Everton appearances, joined them four months after midfielder Marouane Fellaini, a then club-record £15million signing from Standard Liege. Advertisement Andy Robertson arrived at Liverpool for £8million from a relegated Hull City side in the same summer Jurgen Klopp added Mohamed Salah to his squad. Robertson was not an overnight success at Anfield but, like Coleman across town, has come to define what it means to play for the club. Both are adored by their team's fans and are considered all-time greats for Everton and Liverpool respectively. Norgaard was that kind of signing for Brentford when he joined from Fiorentina in summer 2019, along with fellow midfielders Mathias Jensen, who moved from Celta Vigo in that same window and Vitaly Janelt, who arrived a year later from Bochum. The trio collectively cost around £7million and were vital to helping Thomas Frank's team win promotion from the Championship in 2021. They also helped stabilise Brentford as a Premier League club in the four seasons that followed. Leicester City avoided relegation in 2014-15 and, against all odds, won the Premier League 12 months later, a remarkable turnaround made possible by the signings of Jamie Vardy, N'Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez. Vardy, who had been released by Sheffield Wednesday and worked his way up from Stocksbridge Park Steels — a team in the seventh tier of English football — became the first £1million non-League player when he signed for Leicester from Fleetwood Town in 2012. Kante, on the radar of other clubs at the time, cost £5.6million when he joined them from Caen three years later. It felt like Mahrez arrived without anyone knowing who he was. He himself didn't know who Leicester were, thinking the then Championship side were a rugby club not a football team. When he signed from Le Havre in January 2014 for less than £500,000, few would have expected him to end up displacing Anthony Knockaert, one of the club's best players at the time, on the wing. Fewer still would have expected him to go on to win a Premier League title with Leicester, and then a further four, and a Champions League, with Manchester City. Advertisement Joining a new team who are in the middle of a big-spending transfer window, so there is less pressure on you, has worked out well for plenty of players. Ola Aina, a Chelsea academy graduate, was one of the best players in the Premier League last season. He had joined newly-promoted Nottingham Forest on an initial one-year deal when his contract at Torino expired. Forest were not short of options at his position of full-back in that summer of 2023 but Aina is now an integral player — earning a three-year contract extension earlier this month — and has long since answered any doubters. In recent years, Brighton & Hove Albion fans must have lost count of their transfer-market success stories, with Moises Caicedo, Leandro Trossard and Alexis Mac Allister among the long list of celebrated players signed at low cost and sold for huge profits a few years later. But one figure who will always stand out is Pascal Gross. He was the club's first signing once they reached the Premier League and seemed to get better with each passing season, making the £3million fee they paid to Ingolstadt for him look like a bargain. For Newcastle United supporters, their great recent example is now England international Dan Burn. The centre-back joined the club for £13million shortly after their big-money Saudi Arabian takeover in last 2021 and in the same January transfer spending spree as Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes. Stepping up in big moments for his hometown club — he scored in last season's Carabao Cup final win against Liverpool — local lad Burn has become a fan favourite. There are plenty of examples of players who surpassed all the expectations that were in place when they signed for a club. Excitingly, whether it's Norgaard at Arsenal or someone else, expect plenty more this season, too. (Top photos of Azpilicueta, left, and Mahrez: Getty Images)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Norgaard on Arsenal camp and upcoming reunion with Thomas Frank
Christian Norgaard shares how warmly Arsenal welcomed him, and reflects on Thomas Frank ahead of their upcoming clash with Spurs.
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Christian Norgaard relishing Arsenal challenge after ‘step up' from Brentford
Christian Norgaard had just penned a fresh two-year contract with Brentford in March but said he could not turn down the chance to go on an 'adventure' with Arsenal at 31. SINGAPORE – Early into Arsenal's open training session at the National Stadium on July 25, most of the Gunners fans had their eyes locked on Martin Zubimendi – the club's biggest summer signing so far – and latest acquisition Cristhian Mosquera. Just a few metres away from the Spanish pair – who were playing a game of keepy-uppies near the middle of the pitch – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was in animated conversation with another new signing. Arteta was seen gesturing energetically and colourfully to Christian Norgaard, seemingly offering the Danish midfielder advice on picking out the right pass. Norgaard, an €11.6 million (S$17.4 million) recruit from Brentford, looked deep in focus as he took in Arteta's instructions, and later shared with the media his eagerness to impress – and improve – even at 31 and having been captain at his previous club. 'I'm realistic of course and I know this is a step up in terms of quality and the size of the club. But I'm also here to contribute of course otherwise I wouldn't have made the move,' said Norgaard at a press conference at the National Stadium shortly after the training session . 'But I also know there are some of the best players in the world in my position (at Arsenal) . So it'll be competitive. I hope I can really help this team, both on and off the pitch.' Norgaard made his first appearance for Arsenal in the Gunners' 1-0 win over Italian giants AC Milan at the National Stadium on July 23, which saw them kick off their pre-season – and the 2025 Singapore Festival of Football series – on a winning note. Arsenal will face League Cup champions Newcastle United on July 27 at the same venue , before travelling to Hong Kong to play London rivals Tottenham Hostpur . Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Singapore S'pore could have nuclear energy 'within a few years', if it decides on it: UN nuclear watchdog chief Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Life 'Do you kill children?': Even before independence, S'pore has always loved its over-the-top campaigns Singapore Lung damage, poor brain development, addiction: What vaping does to the body Singapore Fine for couple whose catering companies owed $432,000 in salaries to 103 employees Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly Norgaard spent six years at Brentford – the final two years as captain – and had just penned a fresh two-year contract with the Bees in March, but said the chance to go on an 'adventure' with Arsenal at 31 was something that he could not turn down. This, despite fierce competition with compatriot and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, English star Declan Rice and €65 million man Zubimendi for a spot in a midfield three. 'It's about being available and fit,' said Norgaard. 'I'm used to playing 38 (league) games plus a couple of cup games, here it will be close to 60 games (with European club football) , maybe. So you need a full squad... I know my chances will come, and it's just about taking them.' While Norgaard's assimilation into the Gunners set-up started weeks ago after the announcement of his move on July 10, Mosquera's began on July 25 – and the centre-back was treated to a special initiation on the pitch, having to run through a gauntlet while his new teammates playfully slapped him on his head and back. Arsenal had announced on July 24 that they had signed the 21-year-old from Spanish side Valencia on a long-term contract, with a fee reported to be around an initial €15 million. He may yet be joined in Singapore by Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, whom the BBC on July 25 reported could complete a £63.5m move to the North London side from Sporting Lisbon this weekend. While Arteta once again said that he 'cannot talk about a player who is not ours yet', he suggested that any new signing would join the tour as soon as possible. 'For sure. Obviously once we have finalised everything with a player we want to integrate him with the team as quickly as possible,' Arteta said.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'I know this is a step up in quality - but I'm here to contribute'
Christian Norgaard says making the move to Arsenal is an "amazing step" at this stage of his career but he is "realistic" in terms his opportunities for game 31-year-old made the move from Brentford - where he was captain - this summer after six years and 196 appearances for the started all 34 Premier League games he was available for last season, but when asked on Arsenal's pre-season tour about a potential change of role Norgaard said: "I'm realistic of course. I know this is a step up in terms of quality and size of club, but I'm also here to contribute - otherwise I wouldn't have made the move."I know there are some of the best players in the world in my position here. It will be competitive. There are the things you see in the weekend on the pitch, but there are a lot of things going on around the football team. I really hope I can help this team on and off the pitch."It's about being available. It's about being fit. I'm used to playing 38 games plus a couple of cup games, but here it will be close to 60 games maybe. You need a full squad and, for me, it is about being available. I know my chances will come and it's just about taking them when they're there."t was a chance to represent Arsenal at the age of 31. I was coming to a later stage of my career and I signed a new deal with Brentford, but when the interest came from Arsenal and I first talked with Mikel Arteta, it was very clear to me that I would do everything to be able to play here."To get this adventure, to be part of a team that has such big ambitions is for me an amazing step to take at this stage of my career."
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arsenal name team to face AC Milan in Singapore
Christian Norgaard has been handed his Arsenal debut in the team to face AC Milan on Wednesday. The Gunners begin their pre-season campaign against Milan at Singapore's National Stadium. Mikel Arteta has named a strong team for the clash, which includes a debut for Norgaard in midfield. The Denmark international has arrived this summer from Brentford. Fellow summer signings Kepa and Martin Zubimendi are on the bench. Bukayo Saka captains the side in the absence of Martin Odegaard, with Ethan Nwaneri selected in a central role for the clash. Kai Havertz leads the line for Arsenal and the German will want to impress, ahead of the imminent arrival of Viktor Gyokeres. Arteta has named 15-year-old Max Dowman among the Arsenal substitutes. You can find the details on how to watch Arsenal vs AC Milan . Kick-off is 12:30pm BST. Arsenal team to face AC Milan Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Calafiori, Zinchenko; Norgaard, Rice, Nwaneri; Saka, Martinelli, Havertz. Substitutes: Kepa; Setford, Rojas-Fedorushchenko, Odegaard, Kiwior, Trossard, Merino, Nelson, Lokonga, Zubimendi, Copley, Kabia, Nichols, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Salmon. Read – See more – Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media: | | | |
