Lukas Rupp is confident he will be fit for Norwich City’s pre-season return.

The Canaries’ depleted central midfield is a focus of the club’s summer recruitment drive, with Alex Tettey and Mario Vrancic leaving and Olly Skipp returning to Tottenham.

City aim to bring in at least two fresh faces, and remain hopeful they can also entice Skipp back from Spurs, but with Kenny McLean out until late July with knee ligament damage, Rupp has delivered a positive fitness update.

The 30-year-old impressed for an extended spell alongside Skipp in the early part of the Championship title triumph before hamstring and thigh issues curtailed his campaign.

Rupp is now back in Germany and awaiting the green light from the physios to step up his recovery, ahead of pre-season on July 5.

“Only when the physios in England are satisfied can the normal running and training plans continue,” he said. “Team training is July 5 but I'll be in Norwich a few days earlier to do all the necessary tests. My return could have been accelerated, but promotion was clear (towards the end of the season).

"Those in charge didn't want to take any chances and I prefer it that way too. The break now is important, then I'll be fit again for the Premier League. That's why I moved to England. I want to play there.”

Rupp enjoyed being part of the title celebrations but the focus has now switched to what he predicts could be a busy squad makeover for the Premier League.

“The club does not want to repeat the mistake made two years ago when Norwich were promoted but did not make major reinforcements,” the midfielder told German regional publication, Mannheimer Morgen. “They want and will invest and land a few more transfers.

“Without fans in the stadium, the most important thing was obviously missing.

"The audience is simply part of it. But when we became champions, at least the pubs were open again and the whole city celebrated.”

Rupp was one of those top flight signings the last time Norwich reached the Premier League, making 13 appearances following a mid-winter move from Hoffenheim.