Player-of-the-year Gabriel Sara is ready to lead Norwich City’s Championship promotion charge.

Sara was a hit in his debut season despite a mid-table finish for the Canaries after his reported initial £6m move from Sao Paulo last summer.

Sporting director Stuart Webber revealed last week there is ‘big interest in a top player’ ahead of the summer transfer window, after the 23-year-old Brazilian midfielder struck seven goals and served up four assists.

But Sara is ready to kick on at Carrow Road after a difficult debut campaign adapting to a new country and a new position on the pitch.

"I always fight for my dreams. That's why I agreed to come to Norwich. I wanted to play in the Premier League,” he said. “That's my goal for next season. What was frustration this season, I hope next season can be joy of people getting this promotion and me fulfilling my dream of playing in the Premier League.

“Even though I've scored a few goals last season, I'm a little farther away from the goal (than at Sao Paulo), but I get a lot more on the ball. I think I participate a lot more in the game and that's what I I've been enjoying in this new position.

"Of course, I have more defensive responsibility, which is something I'm still learning, but overall I manage to participate more in the game, touch the ball more, create more goalscoring chances. I think that was a great addition for me.

“It's not easy for you to change your country for a new language, culture. A different style of game. The Championship is very physical. It has players who are extremely strong and intense.

"It's a different type of game. For me to adapt to the style of the game was very complicated. Let's say I was lucky. My team is a team that likes to play a little more.

“Our coach (David Wagner) asks for this, that we play with courage, enjoy the game, that we can give a good spectacle for the fans. That helped me a little, of course, but like it or not, in certain games it's very difficult, because there are teams that don't want to play, they just want to score a goal and impose their physical strength.”

Sara, interviewed by ESPN Brasil, admitted it was a struggle when he first arrived as he continued his rehab from an ankle injury that delayed his first team bow.

"It was terrible at the beginning. It was very difficult,” he said. “Also because of the language. And also because everyone was at a different pace. The guys were in pre-season, everyone was flying and I was still coming back from surgery.

"I even joke with my father that everyone was very fast and I was very slow. And then, as I started to get the rhythm back, regaining confidence, feeling better, things started to flow.”