Former Norwich City star Jon Newsome doubts Alex Mowatt has the ability to step up and play for the Canaries next season, telling Football FanCast that the Barnsley captain may struggle in the Premier League.

Norwich are heading into the top-flight after winning the Championship title at a canter this term.

That means they will need to strengthen if they are to ensure they remain in the Premier League following their promotion.

The Pink Un subsequently put together a list of potential free agents that Norwich could target, with Mowatt on the list.

Despite captaining Barnsley into the play-offs – they are currently fifth and chasing an unlikely promotion themselves – his contract expires at the end of the campaign.

This season, the 26-year-old has scored eight goals and laid on seven assists in 44 games in the Championship, but Newsome thinks such a swoop would come with a huge element of risk for the Canaries.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “It’s a little bit of a gamble. The club’s going into the Premier League, the step up from the Championship to the Premier League is a massive step, you’ve got to realise that. That is a huge step.

“When they went up last time, they didn’t really do themselves justice, they didn’t have a great season. So, for me, do you take a gamble on a guy from Barnsley who’s had a good season for Barnsley but there’s still a question mark on whether he could play at that level?

“I’d be surprised if they paid big money for him and dropped him in there as their first-choice central midfield player. Maybe he can come in as a squad player but then as the player, do you want to go to a Premier League club and be a squad player or be first-choice at your Championship club?

“It’s all about playing football matches, isn’t it, so a bit of a strange one that, I’d be interested to see if there’s any more developments on that.”