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‘I love playing here’ – City striker in a happy place despite Premier League bid
Nelson Oliveira winds up Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor late on at Carrow Road. Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
The Premier League awaited in the summer – but Nelson Oliveira is happy to push for Norwich City to take him there instead.
Top-flight Swansea made a big push for the Portuguese striker’s signature on the final day of the August transfer window – a deal ultimately rejected by the Canaries.
Oliveira had spent the first half of 2015 with the Swans in the Premier League, on loan from Benfica – while last season’s Championship play-off finalists Reading also chased hard to recruit the 26-year-old forward.
With five league goals already in the bag from their top scorer despite an injury-hit season so far, City fans are glad Oliveira is still around ahead of their East Anglian derby date at Portman Road on Sunday – one Oliveira has already acknowledged he is looking forward to.
“Swansea made a bid on the last day as everyone knows,” said Oliveira. “I was with the national team and it was a good opportunity for me, but I spoke with the gaffer and I told him I am focused on Norwich as well.
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“I said if I stay here I will be happy because I really want to help and we all want to help put this club back in the Premier League, because I think this team deserves it.
“So I was really happy to stay here because I love playing here, because people give me support and I enjoy it here. So it was good to stay here.”
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Portuguese international Oliveira was loaned out six times during his decade coming through the ranks at six years at Estadio da Luz, before City paid in excess of £5m to give the striker a new permanent home.
Since then Oliveira has obliged with 17 goals from 39 appearances.
• For the latest Norwich City news and opinion follow Michael Bailey on Twitter @michaeljbailey, Facebook @mbjourno and Instagram @mrmichaeljbailey