Celtic legend Chris Sutton believes the ‘phenomenal’ Teemu Pukki was mis-used at Celtic with the veteran striker set to leave Norwich City as a Carrow Road legend this summer.
If the Hoops could roll back the years, perhaps they would have approached the talented Finn a bit differently when he arrived from Schalke back in 2014, a head full of hair and fresh of face, for a fee in the region of £3 million.
A prolific goalscorer later down the line at Brondby and Norwich City; Sutton argues that Celtic failed to get the best out of Pukki while utilising him in a wider role.
“The Pukki that turned up at Carrow Road was not the one I had seen at Parkhead. He certainly wasn’t playing on the wing,” Sutton, who represented both the Hoops and The Canaries during an excellent career, tells the Eastern Daily Press.
“He’s been a phenomenal servant (for Norwich). The last two times Norwich were in the Premier League, he’s been one of the only players who has come out of those seasons with any credit. At Championship level, he’s been prolific.
“Norwich City fans will always recognise him as one of their best ever strikers.”
Teemu Pukki shone at Norwich after struggling at Celtic
Pukki mustered just nine goals in 37 games for Celtic. South of the border at Carrow Road, however, the well-travelled poacher reached double figures in each of his five Norwich City seasons, breaking the 30-goal barrier while claiming the Championship’s Golden Boot in 2019.
And Norwich, Sutton adds, have an almighty challenge on their hands as they look to move on from a man who will depart as a modern-day club legend when his contract expires in July.
“The conversation now becomes about how they are going to replace him,” Sutton adds. “Somebody has to step into those enormous boots. And saying it won’t be easy will be quote the understatement.”
Pukki celebrated his 33rd birthday in March. Even in his advancing years, the one-time Sevilla youngster could still end the season as Norwich’s top scorer. He sits just one goal behind team-mate Josh Sergeant as things stand.
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