Philip Heise is open to a permanent return to Germany after failing to make a first team breakthrough at Norwich City.

Heise had helped guide FC Nürnberg away from relegation trouble in Bundesliga Two before football’s shutdown due to the global pandemic.

The left back’s initial loan move ends this summer but after making just one senior appearance for the Canaries in 15 months at Carrow Road - the 1-0 League Cup defeat to Crawley in August 2019 - Heise was enjoying a regular run of games.

The German football authorities have now announced plans to restart next month, and that gives Heise another chance to stake a claim for a transfer switch.

“Yes, of course, why not, that’s why I came here in the first half of the year to maybe focus on playing here and maybe get a contract,” he said, speaking to regional newspaper Nürnberger Nachrichten. “I feel very comfortable here, the team welcomed me very well.

“We are already preparing as if the season will start again soon. It is difficult every day to maintain concentration. It’s not fun, you feel a little like an individual athlete.”

Heise still has two years left of his original Norwich deal but Nürnberg sporting director Robert Palikuca is keen to hold further talks with the Canaries.

“If we know what the transfer market will look like after the coronavirus crisis, we will try our best to do it,” he said.

Germany’s professional leagues are now working to a provisional start date of May 9.

Heise’s parent club still await news if the Canaries’ Premier League and FA Cup quest can continue, but fellow Dussedorf native Christoph Zimmermann is using the time to stay in touch with his extended family back home.

“I am certainly one of the last people to complain about things because I’m still quite lucky in this situation with how much I can still do,” he told City’s official site.

“In the afternoon, I can leave the house once for going for a walk with my wife. I spend a lot of time on FaceTime and Zoom as well to catch up with people.

“My family is in Germany and my wife’s family are there too, so we’re on the phone quite a lot. In the spare time, sometimes we can do community work.”