Neil hopeful over Olsson fitness

22 July 2015 11:01

Norwich manager Alex Neil is hopeful full-back Martin Olsson will not miss too much of the start of the Barclays Premier League campaign after shoulder surgery, but looks to have reached stalemate with Hull over the pursuit of Robbie Brady.

Sweden international Olsson has resumed light training following an operation after Norwich's Sky Bet Championship play-off win over Middlesbrough, but is not scheduled to be involved in the new season opener against Crystal Palace on August 8.

Neil has spoken of his desire to provide competition in every position, having recently deployed midfielder Bradley Johnson as emergency defensive cover, but has been left frustrated at not being able to get transfer targets to the Norfolk club,

Hull boss Steven Bruce confirmed Norwich have yet to improve on their latest £6million offer for Brady, the 22-year-old Republic of Ireland international having been involved in the friendly at Chesterfield on Wednesday night.

Norwich are currently away on a training camp in Austria, where Neil hopes to be able to fine-tune his preparations before stepping things up with fixtures against West Ham and Brentford back at Carrow Road.

"Martin is doing really well. He has been joining in and doing all the running with the rest of the boys. He is getting his fitness up and we are hoping he is going to be fit sooner rather than later," Neil said in the Eastern Daily Press.

"I don't want to put a timescale on it, in terms of the start of the season, because I don't think he is going to get any games in between now and then. I don't think he'll make the first game (against Crystal Palace), however, it shouldn't be too long after that."

Bruce, meanwhile, suggested Norwich would have to improve their offer on Brady closer to the club's £8m valuation to progress the transfer.

"As we stand at the minute it seems like a bit of a stalemate," Bruce told the Hull Daily Mail.

"They have put in a bid 10 days ago which was rejected and I hope they don't make another one.

"We have made a stance on it and made ourselves pretty clear. Unless they meet the valuation that the owners want then he will remain a Hull City player. It is as simple as that.

"You are never going to question Robbie's attitude. He is a really good young player. We all know that and we all desperately hope he will stay."

Source: PA