The agent of Norwich City star Teemu Pukki has revealed that his client has a desire to play at the highest possible level following the Canaries' relegation.

Norwich City will play their football in the Championship again next season, and Teemu Turunen's comments suggest Pukki has a desire to play at a higher level.

"It is not the optimal situation that the club is in the Championship. That's clear." Turunen told Finnish outlet MTV UUTISET, via Eastern Daily Press.

"Negotiations are going on all the time. It is then a different matter whether it leads to anything. However, Teemu is the kind of player that every player should be, that as long as there is a contract, their own business is done with honour.

"The starting point is that Teemu will go back to Norwich for the training season, but if something happens here before the end of August, I don't know. Yes, Teemu has a desire to play as high as possible."

Although the above comments suggest that a move for Pukki could be possible this summer, his agent adds to his comments and states that any transfer would be difficult due to a variety of circumstances.

These include his value to Norwich, and his age at 32.

"The problem is that Teemu is too valuable a player for Norwich and that he is 32 years old," Turunen continued.

"This equation is difficult to solve.

"The player is too valuable for the current club, and the player from the Premier League is too expensive for the alternative club."

Turunen added: "You don't get a cheap man with more than ten or more than twenty goals, as Teemu has been for the past few years."

"The other side of this is what Teemu represents to the club. He is a star player for fans, sponsors and the entire community. This creates a rather big value that an individual player creates for the club.

 

 

"Everything has its price in football, but at the moment the price tag of this equation may only be too high for the other party who would be ready to get the player in their ranks."

Teemu Pukki has been prolific at Championship level in his last two campaigns in the division.

In 2018/19 the Finnish forward scored 29 goals and registered 10 assists, and in 2020/21 he also produced an impressive 26 goals and four assists.

Norwich City get their 2022/23 Championship campaign underway with an away trip to Cardiff City.

The Verdict

Norwich City fans will be desperate for Teemu Pukki to stay this summer.

He is lethal at Championship level and has proved as much in his recent seasons in the division.

It does sound, though, that the Finnish striker has a desire to play at a higher level elsewhere.

His agent has outlined the difficulties in doing this, though, with a number of factors and obstacles at play in any transfer that would see him depart.

As such, at the moment I'd expect Pukki to remain, but his agents latest comments have certainly cast doubt over his Norwich City future.