DAVID CUFFLEY Youssef Safri is set to return to the Norwich City midfield against Queen's Park Rangers on Saturday - but with uncertainty surrounding his long term future at Carrow Road.

DAVID CUFFLEY

Youssef Safri is set to return to the Norwich City midfield against Queen's Park Rangers on Saturday - but with uncertainty surrounding his long term future at Carrow Road.

Safri looks certain to start in place of Carl Robinson, who is serving a one match ban after collecting five yellow cards.

But Safri's long term plans remain unclear with the player out of contract in the sum-mer, and manager Peter Grant hinted that the Moroccan international may have other plans for the future.

Safri was seen to throw his shirt into the crowd after the Boxing Day draw against Southend, but Grant said he was unaware of that and referred inquiries about the player's intentions to Safri himself.

He said: “I think that's a question you should maybe asking Saf. It's not really down to me. I think there were situations and minds made up before I came here.

“So maybe that's a situation you can ask Saf about, not me.”

Asked whether Safri was happy at Norwich, Grant again suggested asking the player, but he was still full of praise for Safri's abilities.

He said: “I think he's a very good footballer, a terrific passer of the ball. I think he's got to play much higher up the field.

“Sometimes if he plays in a midfield three he's excellent but if you play with two it's different. Passing wise, he's as good as we've got at the club.

“He's a terrific lad. Not one moment's problem has he caused us.

“I had a chat with him right at the start because I need to know what everybody's feelings are. That's the most important thing. He's trained really, really well and he's done decently in games. In other games, he's not done so well but you could say that about everybody at the club.”

Meanwhile, skipper Adam Drury is said to be “struggling” to be fit for the Rangers game and the trip to Crystal Palace on New Year's Day. But there was better news of star forward Darren Huckerby, who was expected to shake off hamstring trouble.