Teemu Pukki has been the key to Norwich’s success over the past four years. Now the canaries’ yo-yoing between two series levels is finally starting to weigh on Finns, writes Urheilu’s Juuso Koskinen.
Teemu Pukin represented by Norwich City starts its season in the English Championship of football today. Ahead is another return from the Premier League to the second highest league level. Pukki has been the subject of transfer rumors, but will start the season with the Canaries, which he has represented since 2018.
In his first season in Norwich, Pukki led the yellow shirts to victory in the Championship. He was the league’s leading scorer with 29 hits.
Having been promoted to the Premier League for the 2019-20 corona season, Norwich’s entry into the world’s number one series turned out to be a cakewalk. The club that ended up as a throw-in bag won a measly five of its 38 matches. The only bright spot in Norwich’s league season was Pukki, who scored almost half of the club’s poor goal balance, 11 goals out of 26.
The Norfolk-based club set out to regain momentum from the lower league level. In the 2020–21 championship season, Pukki again showed his excellence by scoring 26 goals in 36 matches.
Last season in the Premier League followed a familiar pattern. 38 matches, five wins, last place and a disappointed Pukki – despite the Finn’s 11 perfect hits.
The transfer rumors are ultimately unfounded
Teemu Pukki is a Premier League level striker.
The Finnish star, who had a good time in Norwich, surprised him with his exit during the Huuhkajat matches in June. Pukki let it be understood that he hoped for a transfer away from Norwich, which was relegated to the Championship again.
– I want to play at the highest possible level, and I have been able to make a result in the Premier League as well, Pukki said.
At the beginning of July, Puki’s agent Teemu Turunen pronounced (you switch to another service)In an interview with MTV Urheilu about the attacker’s desire to leave the club. This week, Urheilu reached out to both Turku and Norwich to comment on Puki’s situation, but they remained silent.
– We do not do media interviews regarding Teemu. He has a year left on his contract, Norwich’s communications manager Daniel Houlker answered.
– I will not comment on the current situation of “Teme”, agent Turunen messaged.
However, Norwich put a wedge to the rumors by activating the one-year extension option of Puki’s contract. After improving their settings at the negotiation table, the club was able to demand an expensive transfer fee from the Finn from prospective buyers. The price tag probably became too high.
The biggest challenge is that Pukki is too valuable for Norwich and too old for other clubs. In the eyes of Premier League clubs, the 32-year-old Pukki is an exact investment for a few years, whose resale value will not end up skyrocketing.
In Norwich, Pukki is the club’s best player and almost in the position of a superstar. The exposure, advertising revenue and of course the goals he brings are vital for Norwich. However, keeping the buck in the company will be expensive.
According to The Athletic (You will be transferred to another service) the contract dictates the same salary for Puki, regardless of league level. According to the magazine, Pukki earns 50,000 pounds per week, or about 60,000 euros, which is an exceptionally large weekly salary at the level of the Championship. According to various sources, the average weekly salary of players in the Championship is around £30,000.
Puki’s option expires at the end of the season, so the Finn can start negotiations for the next season’s contract with any club at the beginning of next year.
What settings for the upcoming season?
Pukki has dominated the Championship by scoring 55 goals and 14 assists in 84 matches in two seasons. It is quite reasonable to ask what still motivates the Huuhkajat striker in the series.
Pukki admitted at the end of May that the finished league season in Norwich was the heaviest of his long career.
– It was a difficult season for the team, there were so many games and losses. A difficult season both mentally and physically, Pukki suffered in Helsinki in June.
As a result of last season, along with Norwich, Burnley and Watford fell to the second level. Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest cleared their way to the Premier League. The first two have become familiar with both league levels in recent years, while Nottingham Forest are playing in the top flight for the first time in 23 years.
Fulham is in a similar situation to Puki Aleksandar Mitrovic. The Serbian won the top scorer in the Champions League in the 2019–20 and 2021–22 seasons when Norwich visited the Premier League.
Fulham, like Norwich, have bounced back and forth between the Championship and the Premier League for seven seasons now.
Arrived from Sao Paulo Gabriel Sara is a big question mark. On top of everything, both are injured on the eve of the season opener.
Right wing pack Max Aarons and midfield Kenny McLean are quality players who have proven their worth at both league levels.
Offensively, McLean and Todd Cantwell are potential ball distributors for Puki. However, the danger is again that Pukki will remain a rather lonely warrior at the head of the Canaries.
In spite of everything, Norwich is going to aim for promotion this year as its worst competitors are Watford, Burnley, West Bromwich and wild card Sunderland, who are making a convincing rise.
I hope Norwich’s yo-yo can make it to the top this season as well.
Teemu Pukki and Norwich open their season as a guest of Cardiff on Saturday from 17:00.