‘The club are only right to reward those players’ – Iwan a big fan of City contract moves

Iwan Roberts was part of the Norwich City Legends team which faced Inter Forever at Carrow Road last year Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images (Image: ©Focus Images Limitedwww.focus-images.co.uk+447814 482222)

The former striker and defender Malky Mackay were let go after City were promoted as champions in 2004 and, although both were in their mid-30s, in relegation hindsight they were two big characters lost from the dressing room. This time around almost all of Daniel Farke's champions have been given new contracts though.

"The club are rewarding success and they are right to do that," said Roberts. "The last couple of years a lot has changed down at Carrow Road, the finances, the wages have been slashed, the big earners have gone and players have come in on much smaller wages.

"After the season that the squad had, doing so well, shown the hunger and desire that you need to be successful, I think the club are only right to reward those players who have got the club back in the Premier League.

"That's the way to do it, in my opinion. You look at Fulham last season and they went the other route, got a lot of big hitters in on big wages, players who never really settled in the dressing room and it ended up with them getting relegated back to the Championship."

The one player who has left is back-up striker Jordan Rhodes, with the possibility of turning his loan from Sheffield Wednesday into a permanent deal proving too expensive and Swiss international striker Josip Drmic being signed on a free transfer.

"I don't think you can have enough options up front, they'll probably go with one up top again and that 'number nine' will be Pukki again after last season," City's third all-time top scorer said. "Let's be honest, he's not going to score as many goals as he did last season, it's a massive step up, but if he can get anywhere close to 15 or 16 goals then everybody will be happy.

"The Swiss lad (Drmic) that they've got from Germany, I think is a great signing on a free transfer, he's got good pedigree at the top level, he's score goals at international level and he will be another very good option.

"I'm a typical centre-forward, I would like one more to come in if I'm honest with you, it just gives you that strength in depth going forward because the team are not going to score 90-plus goals like they did last season."