Norwich City boss Dean Smith will make it his mission to unearth players to help Teemu Pukki terrorise the Championship again.

Smith revealed over the relegation run in recruiting a long term successor to Emi Buendia was high on his summer transfer wish list.

Pukki and Buendia forged a devastating double act that helped land two Championship titles. But the Finn’s second consecutive 11-goal haul at Premier League level, without Buendia, earned him the club’s player-of-the-year.

City have taken up a 12-month contract option on the 32-year-old, and Smith wants Pukki to remain his leading man.

“It's really important that we took up our option,” he said. “He is key to what we’re about. I believe we have players who can supply him here already, but it's also an area that I'm looking to add to as well.

"He's been used to over the previous couple of years getting supplied by Emi. But he was starting to get some good relationships with other players now.

"Kieran Dowell created a couple of goalscoring opportunities for him, and he set up Kieran for his goal at Manchester United as well. I am really pleased with Teemu and what he brings on and off the pitch. I've said before he's low maintenance, but he's well respected as well.

"He doesn't say an awful lot. But when he does, he's listened to, which is really important for us.

“To score 11 again, and match his previous total in the Premier League in a poor season for the club, tells you what he is about.

"He probably felt he left a few out there as well towards the end. I had a conversation with him about that and I know that is how he felt.”

Pukki’s season still has three weeks to run, with Finland facing four Nations League qualifiers that end with a trip to Bosnia on June 14 – just 10 days before the majority of City’s squad report back for testing.

Smith himself is only planning a short break before he returns to plot the fightback.

“I’ll get a few games of golf where I can and a brief holiday as well,” he said. “I will probably go and watch my son who's become a professional in the States. I’ve not seen him play yet so that'd be nice.

"The planning for next season has been going on for a while. Now it is about stepping that up.”