Norwich City are down to a shortlist of two candidates to replace Narcis Pelach as Johannes Hoff Thorup’s new first team coach.

The Canaries could be in a position to unveil Pelach’s successor by the weekend, after the Spaniard departed to become Stoke City’s head coach.

Experienced keeper coach Tony Roberts has already joined the Dane’s backroom team to replace Paul Clements, who followed Pelach to the Potteries.

But academy duo Joe Shulberg and Declan Rudd stepped up in recent Championship games.

Randers FC assistant coach, Fatah Abdirahman, was in City’s sights, but Thorup dismissed media reports he had turned down the Canaries.

“We are down to a couple of candidates, and we started with a few more,” he said. “I think we are down to not many. Of course, there's also a positive part about an international break, because it gives me the time to have some meetings this week. Without rushing anything but I think we aim to have the guy ready for when we're starting after this break.

“I mentioned the support from Dec, in terms of the goalkeeping, but also Joe with the coaching. It was fantastic because it gave us time, and quality, from day to day.

"I saw some media stories on one of the candidates. That is fine. Sometimes you can have different views on the same thing. We are moving forward and we took a decision to narrow it down to two. No matter what is in the media, we know what is going on and we are getting close.

“But no rush because it is important to get the right decision. I hope it is done by the time we play again. It is important we find the right candidate. Based on what I saw in the media last week, we took the right decision not moving forward with that guy.”

The Danish Super Liga club’s sporting director, Søren Pedersen, indicated there had been no official approach from the Canaries for Abdirahman, who is under contract until 2027.

“I haven't heard anything about it myself, so I don't know if there is anything in the story,” said Pedersen, quoted in Danish outlet Bold. “I just know that he is happy to be in Randers and we are happy for him, then something has to come, I think it has to be extraordinarily good before it has to be interesting for both parties.

“If he wants to go somewhere else, it is of course something we have to make an agreement with that club about, and there is nothing right now.

“He is skilled on many fronts. At an early age, he has learned many things from many different clubs and coaches. He is very dedicated and energetic in terms of playing style and things like that.

“Right now we are happy with the team with Rasmus Bertelsen at the helm, but I would not rule out that Fatah could become head coach at some point.”

Thorup’s compatriot, Glen Riddersholm, joined him in the summer, with Norwich adding Nick Stanley as a set piece specialist and coach following Andy Hughes’ exit to Leicester City, prior to the recent departures of Pelach and Clements.