Todd Cantwell from Norwich City to AFC Bournemouth: Is it a good move? Will he start? What does he offer?

AFC Bournemouth made some eye-catching moves on transfer deadline day in a bid to strengthen their squad for the remaining matches of the 2021-22 season and beyond.

Trailing Blackburn Rovers, who currently sit in second position in the Championship, by a point but having a game in hand on the Lancashire side, Scott Parker went on somewhat of a splurge on the final day of January.

Five players arrived at the Vitality Stadium – Siriki Dembele and Kieffer Moore joined on permanent deals along with loan moves for Nat Phillips and Freddie Woodman.

A real eye-catching one though was the addition of Norwich City midfielder Todd Cantwell, who signed on loan with the option to make it permanent in the summer.

Let’s look at the 23-year-old’s switch to the Cherries in more detail and assess if it’s the right one for Bournemouth in their quest to return to the top flight.

Is it a good move?

You have to say that it’s a very exciting move for Bournemouth to bring in a player of Cantwell’s calibre.

Cantwell first came to people’s attention in the 2018-19 season for the Canaries in the Championship but it was in the following campaign in the Premier League where his talents received a greater showcase – there were genuine calls for him to make the England squad after his six goals in the 2019-20 season.

Having been tipped to star in the top flight again for Norwich after his solid season in the second tier last year, Cantwell was dropped by Daniel Farke and new manager Dean Smith hasn’t really given him a chance to the point where the club were happy to put a permanent option in his loan switch.

For Bournemouth though they’re adding someone with creativity and flair – something they may have been missing in the last few weeks in