Canaries defender vows to return from loan and fight for Premier League chance
Marcel Franke in action for Norwich City at Fulham on the opening day of the 2017=18 season Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Marcel Franke intends to return to Norwich City and fight for a chance to play in the Premier League.
The central defender was signed from Greuther Furth in the summer of 2017 in a deal reportedly worth around £2.5million, as sporting director Stuart Webber and head coach Daniel Farke began City's new regime.
While those methods have paid off and Norwich are heading back to the Premier League after winning the Championship title, Franke has spent most of the intervening time back home in Germany.
The 26-year-old started the first five league games of Farke's reign but a 4-0 defeat at Millwall brought big changes and with Grant Hanley signed from Newcastle the defender returned to Bundesliga 2 with Dynamo Dresden for the second half of 2017-18.
He then returned to the German second tier on loan with Darmstadt this season, with a view to a permanent transfer, and made 27 appearances.
However, Bild reports that deal worth around £1m is unlikely to go through as Franke wants to return to City in pre-season and try to impress Farke.
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"I will be back from summer on," the newspaper quotes him as saying. "I would never forgive myself later if I had not tried to play in the Premier League.
"I want to do everything to make my dream come true."
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The Dresden native hasn't played top-tier football in his homeland but looked comfortable in possession during his short time with City, with his difficulties seemingly the physical and aerial demands of Championship football.
He is under contract at Norwich until 2020, with the option for a further 12 months in that deal.
Christoph Zimmermann and Ben Godfrey became first choice centre-backs for the Canaries this season, after injuries disrupted Grant Hanley and Timm Klose, with Klose expected to sign a new deal.
That would mean all four are likely to stay - although Godfrey is reportedly attracting interest from big clubs including Manchester United and Liverpool - with Sean Raggett also on the books, after an injury-hit loan at Rotherham.
