Christian Fassnacht's City future in the air ahead of return

Recent reports have linked the experienced attacker with a return to former club Young Boys after he entered the final 12 months of his Carrow Road contract. 

He joined City last season to reunite with former boss David Wagner but has struggled to nail down a consistent starting berth during his time in Norfolk. 

Fassnacht, who turns 31 next month, has only featured in City's opening-day defeat to Oxford United before being sidelined with an Achilles injury that has prevented progress under Thorup since he succeeded Wagner in the summer. 

City's boss is willing to review Fassnacht's situation ahead of the January window but is prioritising his injury comeback ahead of any conversations over his future. 

"What we have planned for is that he can be back with the group after the Sunday game. So again, whether he can be competing for a position on the game the Saturday after that is maybe a little bit too early, but I think he will be with the group from Monday next week. I think that's realistic.

"To be fair to him, we have to look at the situation. It's also what is his desire? Where does he want to go?

Johannes Hoff Thorup believes clarity will arrive on Christian Fassnacht's future upon his return to fitness. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd) "I think first and foremost is for him to get back and be ready, and then everyone gets a feeling of how close he is and can he really compete? Can he get minutes? Can he be in the starting XI? We have to find out. He will find out as well," Thorup told the Pink Un. 

"I think, of course, when he finds out a couple of games in, ‘Okay, am I in or am I not in?’ Then of course, that decision at the end of day will be a little bit more easy for him to take.

"It's so much a future thing for us. We have to decide a couple of months from now, because obviously he's not in with the group, so I actually have no idea how close he can get to the team."