--- source: thedugout.football generated: 2026-06-09T17:27:05.722Z data_provider: API-Football canonical: https://thedugout.football/clubs/norwich-city/news/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWRwMjQuY28udWsvc3BvcnQvMjYxMjYwMDkuam92b24tbWFrYW1hcy1ub3J3aWNoLWNpdHktcmVwb3J0LWNhcmQtMjAyNS0yNi8_cmVmPXJzcw --- # From raw talent to key man: Makama’s rise shows no ceiling - **Source:** - **Club:** Norwich City - **Original URL:** https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/26126009.jovon-makamas-norwich-city-report-card-2025-26/?ref=rss Jovon Makama has made the step up from League One to the Championship like a duck to water and still has plenty more gears to go through. Arriving from Lincoln City last summer in a £1.2m deal that broke the Imps’ record sale, the 22-year-old was tipped to begin life as an understudy to Josh Sargent and Mathias Kvistgaarden. While it’s important to factor in that Makama was still in the infancy of his career, his goal return at Sincil Bank was modest at best, with 15 goals in 97 appearances. However, those in the recruitment ranks at Colney viewed his unique profile as a raw gem they could help to polish. In today’s game, where clubs favour lighter, more agile attackers, Makama stands out physically as something of a throwback, more in the mould of Grant Holt than Teemu Pukki. But it was his stature that intrigued sporting director Ben Knapper, something he referenced in his signing announcement. "He offers obvious physicality and athleticism, and he’s able to operate in multiple roles offensively. He’s a really interesting player, and he’s someone that will offer something different for us,” said Knapper. The athletic frontman’s explosive pace and power soon stood out, troubling tiring defenders late on as his cameos off the bench gradually grew in prominence. The forward nets his first goal for the club against Wrexham at Carrow Road (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) After totalling just 13 minutes across the opening five Championship games of the season, Liam Manning turned to Makama to inject energy and a fearless edge as Norwich imploded at home against newly promoted Wrexham. While the outcome remained unchanged, it proved to be the launchpad for his arrival on the Championship stage, as he netted a late consolation before making his first league start the following week away at Stoke. Deployed on the right behind Sargent, the former Lincoln man was the standout in the Potteries, demonstrating maturity beyond his years to find the right space and finish a slick counter-attacking move. As the Canaries’ autumn slide down the table accelerated, the young forward emerged as one of the few with credit in the bank, something Makama soon cashed in on under new chief Philippe Clement. With the mood around Carrow Road flat following a seven-game home losing run, Makama was on hand to lift supporters’ spirits, thundering the ball into the roof of the net to ensure the Belgian’s first game on home soil against Oxford did not end in defeat. And as the early chapters of Clement’s reign were written, Makama continued to place himself at the centre of the story. Jovon Makama bundles home the winner against Southampton in December 2025 (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) After predominantly spending his first four months in Norfolk fielded on the right, he got his chance through the middle in Sargent’s absence against Southampton and grabbed it with both hands. The former Imp netted a brace to spread Christmas cheer around Carrow Road, while also producing his own take on Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ in the process. A week later, Makama showcased another side to his game at Deepdale, almost Erling Haaland-esque, as he used his strength to roll the defender, bully his marker and swivel to finish in some style. The catalogue of different goals kept growing as City’s upturn in form gathered pace in the new year, notably with his strike against Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground as Sargent sulked on the sidelines amid his attempts to force a move Stateside. Yet while Makama soaked up the acclaim from the City supporters, his boss remained determined to keep the youngster grounded. “I was not so pleased about the first half, to be honest, and I told him also half-time that I expected more, and he produced in the second half,” said Clement, speaking after the 2-1 win over Wrexham in January. “Really pleasing how he steps up, how he becomes better. Jovon Makama has quickly become a fan favourite (Image: Karl Vallantine/Focus Images Ltd) "I need to praise also my staff for that, because they're busy with him every game and every training session about small things, small details, to make his game better. I speak with all the players every game. It's my job also to get the best out of them and, if something can be better, to speak about it. So don't make it a special thing. “I think a few months ago, he was totally not in that state of mind, but more and more players started to understand that's crucial in football. "We spread that message a lot – that it's always about the next action, and the top players are the players who forget really fast what they did wrong, and they believe in their qualities in the next action.” Frustratingly, just a few weeks later, Makama’s season ended abruptly after suffering a foot injury early in the second half against Blackburn Rovers in February. It is hard not to feel that, had he remained fit for the final 15 games of the Championship season, a place in the top three of the Norwich City Player of the Season voting would have been nailed on. Jovon Makama is performing strongly in the league at the age of 22 (Image: Ben Griffis) Ten goals in 18 league starts made for an impressive debut season in England’s second tier, with Makama ranking among the top 10 per cent of strikers to play more than 900 minutes for non-penalty goals. He also rated above average across several other key attacking metrics, including aerial duels won, progressive passes, shots and touches in the opposition penalty area. With prolific English forwards increasingly difficult to find, Norwich are fortunate to have his services secured for another four years through the 24-month option in his contract. It is set to be a fascinating battle in the forward department next season, with Mo Toure staking his own claim to lead the line, while Mathias Kvistgaarden will hope for a more fruitful second campaign should he remain at the club. But those are exactly the sort of selection headaches that Clement will welcome as the Canaries target a top-eight finish.