Who is Jonathan Rowe? The 'EFL Mbappe' set for Premier League move

Updated: 17 Oct 2023 17:33 BST
4 min read

Jonathan Rowe, Norwich, England — © ProShots

Jonathan Rowe has burst onto the scene at second-division Norwich City this season and he is already being linked with a Premier League move.

The Canaries academy graduate has seemingly come out of nowhere to emerge as one of the Championship's most exciting players. After recently scoring on his England U21 debut, Rowe has begun capturing mainstream attention, now being linked with the likes of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

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But who is Norwich City's Jonathan Rowe and how good is he really?

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What position does Rowe play in?

Jonathan Rowe is an explosive winger, who primarily features on the left.

Our goal from today's draw with Coventry ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/e3k9H7o4SQ
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) October 7, 2023

How good is Rowe?

A product of Norwich City's academy, Jonathan Rowe made his competitive debut during the 2022/23 campaign, but he would only go on to make three appearances all season. This makes his emergence in 2023/24 all the more spectacular: he wasn't really on most peoples' radar.

But Canaries boss David Wagner has trusted the youngster and it has paid off handsomely, at least for Rowe. Norwich, traditionally a yo-yo club, looked like promotion contenders in the early weeks of the season thanks to Rowe's stunning form. The 20-year-old scored in each of his first five appearances while notching an assist on his sixth - a Norwich record that hadn't been achieved since 1927.

This outstanding form prompted one Twitter user to jokingly nickname Rowe the "EFL Kylian Mbappe," but let's pump the brakes. Since those first few games, Rowe has only scored two more goals for the Canaries, his personal struggles going hand in hand with the club's. However, while his goalscoring has regressed to the mean, his performances are still impressive.

An explosive winger, Rowe loves going past people and getting a shot off and the fact that, despite his youth, he is not afraid to take opponents on and test goalkeepers has served him well. This confidence means that he remains determined even when things aren't going his way.

Rowe was named EFL Young Player of the Month for August 2023 and rewarded with a call-up to England's U20s - his first-ever involvement in any of his nation's youth teams. He has since made the step up to the U21s and, as mentioned, netted on his debut against Serbia.

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1️⃣ @Jonathanrowe__ 's strike to seal all three points against Birmingham City. pic.twitter.com/VMSsb5NLuz
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) October 9, 2023

What clubs are interested in signing Rowe?

Rowe has caught the attention of Crystal Palace and Aston Villa, according to Football Insider. The latter, it is asserted, are the favourites to land him as they may have to dip into the transfer market to replace Nicolo Zaniolo given his involvement in the betting scandal rocking Italian football.