Norwich City’s Misfire: The Luciano Becchio Transfer That Never Took Off
In the early 2010s, Norwich City had a habit of poaching Leeds United’s top talent, successfully luring players to Carrow Road with the promise of Premier League football. Stars like Robert Snodgrass, Jonny Howson, and Bradley Johnson all made the switch and found success. However, Luciano Becchio’s transfer did not follow the same trajectory.
Although Leeds United’s years in League One and the Championship were tough for fans, they offered a platform for relatively unknown striker Luciano Becchio to shine. The Argentinian forward quickly became a cult hero at Elland Road, consistently hitting double figures across four seasons and playing a crucial role in their 2010 promotion from League One.
By the midpoint of the 2012/13 season, Becchio had already bagged 20 goals in 26 Championship matches, making his long-awaited Premier League debut seem imminent. Norwich City swooped in, signing him on a three-and-a-half-year deal. However, his time in Norfolk was anything but memorable.
Becchio’s Forgettable Time at Norwich
Struggling for goals midway through the 2012/13 Premier League season, Norwich once again turned to Leeds for attacking reinforcement. They secured Becchio in a swap deal that saw Steve Morison head to Elland Road. While Morison failed to impress at Leeds, Becchio fared even worse at Carrow Road.
The striker was given limited opportunities to prove himself, making just two starts in his first three matches. After that, he was mostly confined to the bench or brought on for brief cameos. In the following season, he didn’t start a single game—not even in the cup competitions—and was named an unused substitute on 19 occasions during Norwich’s relegation campaign.
In 2014/15, Becchio was loaned to Rotherham United, scoring twice in five games before an ankle injury cut his spell short. Norwich and Becchio eventually agreed to terminate his contract a year early in 2015, concluding a disappointing stint that yielded just 16 appearances and no goals.
A Career Derailed
Becchio’s move away from Leeds reportedly stemmed from a fallout with then-manager Neil Warnock. While it’s hard to blame him for wanting to test himself in the top flight at age 29, the switch ultimately proved disastrous. After leaving Norwich, he never returned to his former form and had short spells at clubs including Rotherham, Belgrano, and Athletico Baleares before retiring in 2023.
Though his dream of Premier League football was understandable, the move to Norwich marked the beginning of a steady decline for Becchio—an ill-fated decision that served neither the player nor the club well.
