Ben Knapper, Johannes Hoff Thorup combo could earn Norwich City millions after January deal | OneFootball

January signing Matej Jurasek has huge potential, and its the perfect opportunity for Johannes Hoff Thorup show his worth.

Matej Jurasek has become another in the queue of players "for the future" at Norwich City but his signing prove great business down the line.

The Czechia international joined the Canaries for a reported fee of £5.8 million this month and at 21 years old, he fits right into the Ben Knapper transfer strategy of signing players with a long-term plan in mind.

One of the reasons Johannes Hoff Thorup was originally brought in was due to his track record of working with young players, with Knapper calling him a "proven developer". Of course, there's no guarantee of a player working out but with Jurasek it feels like the perfect fit for both him and Norwich.

It's a deal that, if given time, could prove to be some of the smartest business yet from the current City chiefs.

Matej Jurasek is at an ideal time to develop

What's striking about the Jurasek deal is that it's a huge price for a player who's come off the bench for the majority of his appearances this season, being substituted on for 17 of his 24 appearances for Slavia Praha. In that time, he's registered two goals and five assists in all competitions.

But since 2020, he's made 136 appearances at club level, which has earned four showings for his national side. He's already got a wealth of professional football under his belt and has clearly shown an ability to impress at such a young age.

It's this experience that has garnered attention not just from the Canaries, but from elsewhere in Europe from clubs that even Thorup said were perhaps "a little bit bigger" than the Norfolk side. Undoubtedly then, Norwich have got a hot prospect on their hands.

His raw abilities should already instill some excitement among Norwich fans. He's got an eye for driving the ball into dangerous positions and his words set up the "perfect assist". He's also a player who relies on his pace, and much the same as many of the summer recruits, he possesses a punching left foot.

Whether he can use those attributes for a full 90 minutes just yet is up for debate. It speaks volumes that his previous coach thought he could best be utilized against tired defenders and that may be the role he takes on for the rest of the season under Thorup whilst he develops.

Johannes Hoff Thorup is the ideal coach for Matej Jurasek

Thorup's work at FC Nordsjælland is unique. They're a club that places an emphasis on youth and development.

During his time there he's proved he can get the best out of young players – the prime example being the relatively small Danish side thumping Fenerbahçe 6-1 in the Conference League, fielding nine academy graduates with Thorup at the helm.

Alexander Riget hired him at Nordsjælland and says his "crucial" work with Ibrahim Osman set in motion Premier League outfit Brighton bringing in the Ghanaian. He's currently on loan at Feyenoord.

Working with raw talent is well within Thorup's domain, particularly with attackers. There's perhaps no greater example than Borja Sainz, who's come alive under the Dane becoming the Championship's top goal contributor.

In terms of his professional development, Jurasek is in capable hands with Thorup and his coaching team. Provided Norwich fans have some patience, Jurasek could be a real asset to the club, especially with players like Josh Sargent and Marcelino Nunez around him.

With European teams already eyeing him up prior to joining Norwich, there's no doubt that if he can be developed around his already exciting natural ability, a future sale will bring a significant profit on the £5.8 million the club paid for his services.