Will Norris has officially completed his transfer from Wolves to Burnley, the Clarets’ have confirmed.
The 27-year-old joins Sean Dyche’s side on an initial three-year deal for an undisclosed fee having spent three years at Premier League rivals Wolves.
The goalkeeper failed to displace Rui Patricio to become Wolves’ first choice keeper during his three years at the club, spending last season on loan at League One side Ipswich Town.
The Englishman will now join a host of goalkeeping talents at the Turf Moor which possesses Nick Pope and Bailey Peacock-Farrell, following the departure of Joe Hart and Adam Legzdins this summer.
New beginnings.
Delighted to sign for @BurnleyOfficial & can’t wait to get started. pic.twitter.com/KLq3FsOVzR— Will Norris (@WilllNorris) August 14, 2020
And Billy Mercer who is the goalkeeping coach for Burnley believes Norris’ acquisition is valuable for the club.
He said: “Will is a goalkeeper I looked at three years ago, when he was at Cambridge. He was on our radar then, but at that time we weren’t in a position to go in for a keeper. I’ve kept an eye on him since and when he became available I saw him as a good addition to the group.
“You need three top-class goalkeepers in the Premier League and with Joe (Hart) and Adam (Legzdins) leaving the building we needed to add to the group. There is a lot of growth and progression in Will. He’s just turned 27 and has a lot of years ahead of him, so we felt it was right to go back in for him and we are delighted to have him on board and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
The shot-stopper joined Nuno Espirito Santo’s men on a three-year deal in the summer of 2017 when they were still in the Sky Bet Championship, going on to make his debut for the club in August that same year in the Carabao Cup game against Yeovil Town.
However his league debut came in May 2018 against Sunderland before Wolves won the championship to secure promotion into the Premier League.
Norris’ maiden appearance in the top-flight came against Fulham in May last year, making a total of eight appearances for the Midlanders during his three years stay.
Mercer added: “The pathway is you go and play games and you grow as a goalkeeper. Will has done that by going out on loan to Ipswich and playing 15 league games and is looking forward to the new challenge here.
“When you look at Tom Heaton and Nick Pope’s pathway, they’ve had to bide their time and the players here know that if they get an opportunity here and take it, they’ll stay in the side. I always say I don’t do one, two and three. We have three goalkeepers who are ready to play, and while one will go into the first team, the other two have to be ready to play.”
