Norwich City defender Timm Klose will not complete a permanent move to boyhood club FC Basel, after the 20-time Swiss champions declined to take up their buy option.

The popular centre back is now poised to return to the Canaries at the start of pre-season after the end of his loan spell with Basel.

The 33-year-old has 12 months left on his existing Carrow Road deal and with Alex Tettey moving on in the summer would be the club's longest-serving player.

Klose made 28 league appearances for FCB, who finished a distant 31 points behind Young Boys in the Swiss title race, but Basel confirmed his departure in a club statement on Saturday.

The defender admitted he was fulfilling a dream when he linked up with Basel in October 2020, but endured a difficult season on and off the pitch after he was also diagnosed with coronavirus.

Klose is not part of the Canaries' Premier League plans, with City in the market for a centre back to compete with Grant Hanley, Ben Gibson and Christoph Zimmermann. While Republic of Ireland youth international Andrew Omobamidele impressed in an extended run towards the end of the Championship title-winning campaign.

The ball-playing Swiss international defender arrived at Carrow Road in January 2016 for a reported £8m from Wolfsburg but a knee ligament injury curtailed his debut top flight season, and set the tone for his City career.

The former Bundesliga ace missed the second half of 2018/19 Championship title-winning campaign through injury, and most of the following Premier League tilt after an early season injury on League Cup duty at Crawley.

Klose has made 117 league appearances for the Canaries, notching 10 goals, including a memorable derby day equaliser against Ipswich Town at Carrow Road in 2018.