Nelson Oliveira is grateful to Norwich City for ending his loan curse at Benfica – and he aims to reward his new home with everything he has got in their Championship promotion bid
Nelson Oliveira thanks the badge after scoring Norwich City's winner over Aston Villa on Tuesday night. Picture by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Nelson Oliveira knows what is at stake for his football career at Norwich City – and he plans to take full advantage.
Nelson Oliveira celebrates with Sebastien Bassong after notching his third goal in three games for his new club. Picture by Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
The Portuguese striker’s third goal in three games brought the Canaries’ second successive home win on Tuesday, to emphasise how at home the £5m summer signing from Benfica is starting to look.
Oliveira’s permanent move followed six consecutive loan spells away from Lisbon but now he has a settled outlook, the striker aims to make it a successful one too.
“I think this is the most important thing I do in my career, because it is one of the big problems I’ve had in the past,” said Oliveira.
“I’ve had a lot of loans and when you go on loan, you never feel like you can adapt. You go and you know in eight months you go back, so you don’t move your things, you don’t find the right house.
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“When you move permanently, it gives you more confidence and more stability to play your football and I think I need that. Thank you for Norwich for believing in my football and my talent, and I will work to respond on the pitch.
“Benfica have a lot of young talent and when I am young, they look for me and didn’t want me to leave permanently because I’m a good player. So it was always a loan, and that’s not good for the players.
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“One or two loans is OK, but if they don’t want the player after that then maybe let the player go and their career can go up.
“I’m 25 and I had six loans in the past, and that’s not good. So now I can enjoy, I can permanently put my career here. For the moment, I can build my career here.
“It’s just the start. I need to do more for this club and these fans. But for now my career is here and I’m happy.”
Oliveira spent time at Rio Ave and Pacos Ferreira in Portugal, Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna and French outfit Rennes on loan, before temporary spells in England – at Swansea in 2014-15 and Nottingham Forest last season.
“I enjoyed a lot playing for Forest…but of course, Norwich have come from the Premier League; they have different players,” he added.
“To be fair I think between Norwich and Swansea there is not a big difference in quality. I think the top teams in the Championship and lower teams in the Premier League, the difference is nothing and I think we have the squad to play in the Premier League. But we need to show that on the pitch.”
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