Norwich outcast Moritz Leitner vows to remain professional

In quotes released to the PA news agency, he said: "My agent is in contact with various associations, there are exciting projects and discussions but we should only talk about it in concrete terms when there are facts to report. This is also what I understand by professionalism.

"Of course I'm dying to be back on the pitch, but as someone who has been involved in professional football for a long time, I've learned to deal with situations like this.

"The day will soon come when I can help a team again. I'm really looking forward to it and will do everything for it."

Leitner won the Sky Bet Championship with Norwich in 2019 but, along with Josip Drmic and Tom Trybull, was told he had no future at the club and cast out of the first-team squad in the summer.

Trybull was moved on to Blackburn on loan but Rovers are paying just £2,000 of his £22,000-a-week wages.

But Leitner, who initially joined the Canaries from Augsburg on loan in 2018, remains philosophical about the situation and insisted he would make the move to Carrow Road again.

"Every club has the right to make individual plans with regard to the deployment of its players and to make appropriate decisions," said ex-Lazio man, who is due back in Norwich soon after training in Munich following an injury.

"I had three great years in Norwich, the promotion to the Premier League, to which I contributed, experience in the Premier League, there were a few real highlights.

"I have had a lot of great experiences in England from which I will benefit greatly in the future. The move to the Canaries at that time was a very good decision for me – I would make it again.

"I still have a valid contract with Norwich until the summer of next year, so we will find a good solution together. Of course, I want to win games with a team again and be successful on the pitch. This is my passion."