Norwich City are currently on the right track under Philippe Clement, following a catastrophic first half of the season at Carrow Road that raised worries of a shock relegation to League One.

Such concerns have subsequently been alleviated, with ex-Rangers manager Clement winning 11 and losing only six of his first 20 games since succeeding Liam Manning, who had left the Canaries in the relegation zone and facing the prospect of sliding out of the Championship.

There may be too much traffic and ground to cover for Norwich to attempt a late sprint towards the play-offs at this time, and Clement’s side is still only six points ahead of 22nd-placed Leicester City with 13 games remaining.

But, despite the fact that unpopular sporting director Ben Kanpper remains a firm figure of criticism among supporters, there is a palpable feel-good factor now circulating around Norfolk, and that feeling was only heightened by a productive January transfer window in which Clement bolstered his squad while keeping outgoings to a minimum.

The Canaries notably won the race for in-demand Manchester United full-back Harry Amass, who has since seen his loan spell ravaged by injuries after excelling at Sheffield Wednesday, while Sam Field was lured away from Championship rivals QPR, and Ali Ahmed, Paris Maghoma, and Mo Toure, in particular, have had excellent starts to their careers with the Yellows.

There was, of course, the Josh Sargent drama, which is now coming to an end with the USMNT forward’s move to Toronto FC, while Emiliano Marcondes was another player who appeared to be leaving mid-season but ultimately stayed put.

However, Marcondes’ future at Norwich remains uncertain, and the Danish playmaker has now thrown a possible hint.

The Pink Un recently stated that Marcondes, whose contract is slated to expire this summer, had turned down a January transfer to an undisclosed German team for unclear reasons.

The former Brentford and Bournemouth attacking midfielder caught the eye for Norwich last season, scoring five goals and providing six assists in 33 appearances, but has been judged surplus to requirements since Clement’s arrival, starting only three league games under the Belgian’s watch.

Marcondes has now spoken out about his predicament at Carrow Road, telling Viaplay – via Campo – that Norwich had given him permission to quit the club in January and that he was close to signing elsewhere.

However, the 30-year-old intimated that an exit could still occur, adding that several continental windows remain open, which could pave the door for a departure before his contract expires at the end of the season.

He stated, “The club informed me that they would invest playing time in some of the younger players as well as those who have been here for a longer period of time.”

“I completely get it. I’ve been in the game long enough to comprehend this.

“I was also close to moving to other countries, but now most transfer windows are closed, there are still a few that are open.”But that’s my current circumstance. I’m steadily making my way back into the team, and perhaps I’ll get some playing time again.”

Emiliano Marcondes’ current Norwich City transfer departure options

It’s fascinating that Marcondes noticed that some windows remain open, despite the fact that the majority of those in Europe have been slammed shut until the summer.

That means his options are restricted at this point, although Norwich would undoubtedly be interested in collecting a fee for the Dane’s services before losing him for free, and Marcondes plainly wants to play regular football again, so an exit is not out of the question.

In Europe, Marcondes’ most likely choices are a move to the Swedish, Norwegian, or Ukrainian top divisions, with the former two making the most sense given his Scandinavian heritage.

However, every window in South America is open, and Marcondes was linked with a move to Brazilian club Gremio last summer. Meanwhile, the MLS transfer window remains open for another month, and it would not be surprising if the excellent midfielder joined the aforementioned Sargent in departing for the United States.