Norwich City supporters are buzzing with anticipation as new striker Mathias Kvistgaarden prepares to make his debut during the club's pre-season tour in the Netherlands.
The Danish international, who recently joined from Brøndby for £6.9 million, trained with his new teammates for the first time on Tuesday. Kvistgaarden is eager to showcase his talents in the upcoming double-header matches against FC Volendam and Zulte Waregem this Saturday.
At just 23 years old, Kvistgaarden has quickly become a focal point of excitement for the Canaries’ fan base. Norwich successfully secured his signature amid fierce competition from several prominent European clubs. Head coach Liam Manning is optimistic about Kvistgaarden’s potential impact on the squad, stating, “Naturally when you see the level of club he was linked with, it's a terrific one for us to be able to get done."
He added, “I sat with him the other day, and he is a top character. Someone who will excite the fans, get them off their seats. He's someone who's desperate to run in behind and score goals.”
Read more about Norwich City Face Key Transfer Decisions as Interest in Josh Sargent Dwindles.
Manning also highlighted Kvistgaarden’s aerial ability, despite his relatively modest height. “For a guy who's not the biggest, you see the number of goals he scored with his head, and that speaks volumes about him as well. He's only going to strengthen the group,” he commented.
The head coach acknowledged the contributions of Lee Dunn, the head of recruitment, and sporting director Ben Knapper, crediting their efforts for attracting such talent to the club. “I think it shows what we're able to do at the club in terms of providing that platform to attract players and for them to want to come here and play football. It can only help the team be stronger,” Manning explained.
In addition to Kvistgaarden, new goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic is also set to make an impression during the tour. The Serbian shot-stopper observed from the sidelines as the Canaries secured a 3-1 friendly victory over Northampton Town but is now gearing up for game time this weekend. Manning elaborated, “It was just building him up. He's been training with Tone (Roberts, the goalkeeper coach). Another training week and then ready for minutes this weekend. He brings bundles of personality and character already around the place. It's what fans want to see, right? I don't want to produce robots. I want to be excited by the lads.”