As the Championship season enters the home straight, Norwich City appear to have left themselves too much to do to be involved in the end-of-season promotion shake-up.
Attention will therefore soon turn to next season, but the Canaries do have a major building block on which to pin their hopes on for the 2025/26 season.
Spanish striker Borja Sainz has enjoyed a stellar second season at Carrow Road, taking an early lead in the race for the second tiers golden boot, winning Championship Player of the Month honours in September and October, netting his first two career hat-tricks before Christmas.
Borja Sainz on his Premier League dream
It should be no surprise then, how he responds when FourFourTwo asks him what his highlights of the season so far are.
It was scoring two hat-tricks, he replies. The goals are important, but also I played very well. The first hat-trick was away from home: we played well at Derby, and my hat-trick to win the game was very important. That was the best moment, because Id never scored three goals in one match before.
Then the second one was at home in front of our supporters, and I was really happy. I worked hard in pre-season for a year like this its a privilege to be in this situation. This has been my best year in football.
This red-hot start saw the 24-year-old net 15 times in his first 18 Championship games, a marked improvement on his eight-goal haul last term, something he admits has surprised him.
No, I didnt expect that, he says. I expect to score goals, assist and play well, and last year I scored goals too, but not as many as this season. I dont say, Come on, you need to score more. Thats not my attitude. I just think that when I play and I enjoy it, goals and assists will come. The most important thing is to help the team.
This momentum was checked when he was handed a six-match ban in January for spitting at Sunderlands Chris Mepham, with opponents clearly paying more attention to him when he returned.
I think they come towards me more now, because when I dribble past one player, theres another one, he continues. But thats football. I like that: if they come towards me, its because Im a good player.
The former Athletic Bilbao youth prospect earned Spain under-19 honours before leaving his homeland and admits that he still dreams of playing for the senior side.
Yes, I want to play for Spain, he says. I played before. It will be difficult, but I want to do it, and I want to play in the Premier League.
I need to keep working hard thats the most important thing. When each day passes, tomorrow you wake up and say, OK, I am better than yesterday better person, better player. Every day, I need to go step by step.
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