PUKKI’S THE PLAN EVEN IF CANARIES DROP
DEAN SMITH is confident that star striker Teemu Pukki will still be at Norwich next season – even if they are relegated.
The Finland forward, 32, is coming to the end of the £25,000-a-week three-year deal he penned in 2019.
The Canaries have a one-year option, however, that boss
Smith says sporting director Stuart Webber is about to trigger. Smith said: “Teemu knows how I feel about him, the club has got an option and I believe they are exercising it.
“So hopefully we have him with us next season as well.”
Pukki stayed at Carrow Road after relegation in 2019-20 to provide the goals for an instant top-flight return.
The former Celtic man scored 26 in 2020-21 as the Canaries went up as champions – as they did in 2018-19 when he bagged 29. It has been a different story in the Premier League though. He netted 11 two seasons ago and has only eight this term.
Smith puts that down to the team failing to create enough chances, and has been busy trying to rectify that ahead of today’s must-win clash at home to relegation rivals Burnley.
He said: “I believe he has done OK, he has scored some good goals, none more than the one at Newcastle.
“As all strikers do, he has missed some chances as well, but I just feel we haven’t fed him as well as we could.
“He’s a good player and I have really enjoyed working with him.
“But he needs feeding and that’s what we have spoken to the players about.”
A 3-2 win at home to fellow strugglers Everton on Wednesday boosted the Clarets’ chances of beating the drop.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche raised a few eyebrows by revealing he had told his players at half-time that the Toffees did not know how to win a game.
That sparked a second-half comeback and Smith insisted he would not be offended if Dyche said the same about his side.
The Norwich boss added: “Sean can say what he wants about us and I will say what I want about them – that’s always how it is in your own team talks to your own players.”