Dane Thorup lined up as next Norwich boss

Johannes Hoff Thorup first worked at Nordsjaelland as a youth coach

Norwich City hope to appoint FC Nordsjaelland manager Johannes Hoff Thorup as their new boss by the end of the week, according to BBC Radio Norfolk.

The 35-year-old Dane is understood to be in ongoing discussions with the Canaries about replacing David Wagner, who was sacked a day after their Championship play-off semi-final defeat by Leeds.

Norwich finished sixth in the table under Wagner and his replacement will prepare the Carrow Road club for a third season in England's second tier.

Thorup has been in charge of Danish top-flight side Nordsjaelland since January 2023, having been promoted from his role as assistant coach.

He guided them to a second-place finish in 2022-23 to earn a spot in the qualifying rounds of the Europa Conference League.

And in his first full season in charge this term, he took Nordsjaelland to the group stage of the European competition and oversaw a fourth-place finish in the Danish Superliga table.

Analysis - City fans hoping for a great Dane

BBC Radio Norfolk's Rob Butler

It’s fair to say Norwich City fans have been hard to please over the last couple of seasons.

Dean Smith didn’t light any fires at Carrow Road; he was followed in the head coach hot seat by David Wagner who took the club to a respectable sixth-place finish in the Championship.

The play-offs beckoned but when the Canaries were soundly beaten by Leeds United in a raucous semi-final second leg at Elland Road, Wagner’s dismissal felt inevitable. There weren’t too many complaints from the supporters.

Sporting director Ben Knapper has his feet firmly under the table at Carrow Road and he now makes his first big decision – what’s next?

It appears that Knapper is looking to the Danish Superliga to answer that question. Johannes Hoff Thorup is 35 years old and part of an FC Nordsjaelland set-up who pride themselves on looking to youth to get results, a plan that aligns with Knapper’s desire to lower the average playing age at City.

The Canary faithful are ready for a fresh start and Thorup’s first task will be to get those fans firmly behind his plan.