Controversy has hit East Anglia in the last few days, and for Norwich City, they are on the wrong side of one of the biggest moves in the Championship this summer.

It was reported on Wednesday evening that Ipswich Town were closing in on Marcelino Nunez, with a deal worth £10m agreed between the two bitter rivals.

The 25-year-old made 119 appearances for the Canaries in three years, having joined the team in 2022 from Chilean outfit CD Universidad Catolica – the club with whom he made his professional debut.

Now, there is plenty of frustration coming from the Norwich supporters, and their first meeting with Ipswich in October has only had more heat added to it, with Onel Hernandez particularly hurt.

Onel Hernandez fires warning to Marcelino Nunez after Norwich City exit

Nunez is the first player to make this switch since 2001, when Andy Marshall made the move to Portman Road from Carrow Road and his former teammates may feel betrayed.

Hernandez, who trained with Sheffield Wednesday recently, left Norwich in the summer at the end of his contract. However, he has spoken out about the departure of the Chile international to Suffolk.

He said: “We all know he’s a lovely, generous, humble guy. I knew from back then, I think last season or something like that, that a few clubs have shown some interest in him.

“I spoke to him about it and he said, ‘Look, I’m very ambitious. I want to play one day somewhere in the highest leagues in the world’. There was also interest from Ipswich. But I told him when you would ever consider a move there, what would happen? I explained him everything. He knew about it.”

The former Norwich ace continued: “But I said as well to him, if I get a chance playing against you, I will break you. That’s what I say to him. He knew exactly what would happen if he would have had any thoughts about it.

“But I also told him that I don’t believe that Norwich City would never ever consider selling him to that club. I say to him, look, there’s probably other clubs that showed interest and would offer that amount of money and stuff like that.

“Because of the fans. For the fans, that would be a disaster. It is a disaster. He was one of my good friends, but obviously with that move, I’m not sure if I want to continue that friendship with him. Because obviously now he plays for a rival. It’s for me just a disgrace to just join a team like that.”

Canaries supporters will be anticipating Marcelino Nunez’s Carrow Road return

The first of the two sides’ meetings will come at Portman Road on 5 October, and it will not be until April when Norwich welcome Ipswich to Norfolk.

The Canaries have dominated the East Anglia derby over the course of the last 16 years, having not been beaten by their bitter rivals since 2009.

Norwich have also not been defeated on their own patch by the Tractor Boys since February 2006 and Nunez may be dreading his return to his former home if history repeats itself once again.

The 25-year-old is carrying an ankle injury at this moment in time, and it take a little bit of time before he gets up to full speed at Ipswich, but many, including Hernandez, will be keeping one eye on his progress at Ipswich.