Ben Knapper surprised Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup by pulling off the signing of Danish prospect Oscar Schwartau.

The 18-year-old arrived in Norfolk last week for a fee close to £2million, agreeing to an initial four-year deal after impressing with Brondby.

Thorup knew Schwartau well having competed against him at former club Nordsjaelland, but it was his sporting director who came up with the idea of bringing him to Carrow Road.

"He's been scouted a lot by this club in the past," the City boss revealed. "Ben went to me and said: 'Do you think we actually have a possibility here?'

"He didn't extend at his former club and there were rumours about him leaving, so we did what we could and we tried everything. We went to the guys supporting him and asked if it was an option.

"At the end we got him here, which I think if you'd asked me five, six weeks ago I would have said wasn't going to happen. I would have expected that he would go to an even bigger club, with all due respect to this club.

"I'm pleased and satisfied, because he's a big talent."

Schwartau may be young, but he already has nearly 50 senior appearances under his belt. Thorup says that will stand him in good stead in the short term, even if there is room to improve.

"Young lad, but with a lot of experience," he continued. "Two years of senior football. Has the physicality for this league, what it takes to be in this league, so he already has a lot of experience in that part of the game.

"Now of course he needs to get used to the city, to the club, to the league, to everything just around it. But I think it's fair to expect that he will get some minutes (against Crystal Palace).

"He's an offensive midfielder, '10', 'eight' position, he can also come from the outside. I think it's important for him and his game that the ball is in front of him, that he can attack spaces in front of him, not with his back turned to goal.

"He's very good at reading situations to get in the box at the right time. He has very good vision and an eye for where second balls will drop and gets in to score goals. That is of course what every football team needs.

"That's what we can expect from day one with him, and then still be aware that he's a young lad. But I think definitely he can perform right now."