Teemu Pukki is hoping a successful international break with Finland can be beneficial to Norwich City’s promotion hopes.
Pukki is one of a clutch of City players away on European qualifying duty, but, unlike his colleagues, he is the subject of intense scrutiny over his playing future – for club and country.
Pukki – who turns 33 on Wednesday -is out of contract with City in the summer but has yet to reveal his plans.
He has failed to score in 11 matches for the Canaries but believes matches with Finland could be key to helping him recapture his goalscoring form as the quest for qualification continues.
"It's a big deal," he told MTV Urheilo. "All eyes are firmly on Germany. The last time we made it to the games, it was such a dream. Now we have clear goals to get to the games again. I see that it is quite possible. Of course, it requires a top performance from us throughout the qualifiers.
"It's always nice to join the national team. Earlier, when there were weaker moments in my career, I got a good feeling here. These trips are good, and I believe that you will get such a boost for the rest of the season through these games."
Pukki is committed to playing throughout qualification and hopes Finland will have a role to play at Euro 2024 - and only then will he consider what comes next.
"It's always so cool to come here, but we'll see where the career takes us and what happens anyway,” he said. “Hopefully, we will make it to the games; after that, some decisions will be made.
"I cannot say yet. Same as (with the club team), let's go through these qualifiers and hopefully get to (next year's) European Championships. After that, it's quite a long time before the next qualifiers. I don't know how long the career will last. Let's go one qualifier at a time."
Pukki proved his importance to Finland with an assist during their 3-1 defeat to Denmark on Thursday - his 110th appearance for his country for who he is record goalscorer and a mainstay of the international set-up since his debut back in 2009.
Finland now travel to Belfast to face Northern Ireland on Sunday.
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