Norwich City: Christian Fassnacht on his dream Canaries move
Norwich City have helped Christian Fassnacht’s dream come true after signing him from Young Boys.
The attacking midfielder completed a permanent transfer to England aged 29 having spent the entirety of his professional career playing in Switzerland.
Norwich pursued Fassnacht hard, making multiple offers for him throughout the summer before eventually reaching an agreement with the Swiss champions to bring him to Norfolk. That opportunity ended years of his camp attempting to manufacture a move abroad.
The chance of a reunion with head coach David Wagner was a major driving factor in Fassnacht’s decision to swap the Champions League for the Championship by joining City – but the overall package on offer proved too enticing to turn down.
“When I saw the whole framework at Norwich (I was convinced), the project is mega, the possibilities are fantastic and the training centre is incredible. These are things that cannot be found in Switzerland. I want to experience that, which is why I decided to take this step.
“I’ve been chasing (this dream) for a few years, but it didn’t have to happen because everything at Young Boys is unique and incredible,” City’s newest addition said.
“Now, another door has opened. I’ll be 30 at the end of the year and have the chance to play in England. It’s a dream come true. I wanted to take this opportunity.”
Fassnacht was City’s fifth addition of the summer, with Wagner confirming they would be unlikely to do any business unless there are departures before the deadline.
The Swiss international is the latest signing made to help improve City’s mentality and inject experience into their ranks.
He is determined to make a success of the latest step in a career that has been defined by steady progress and defying the odds.
“I’ve already exceeded my dreams,” Fassnacht told Young Boys in a farewell interview on their official channels.
“I never dared to dream of playing abroad. At some point you get confronted with it, perhaps also because the media is speaking about it, or because there is interest.
“When I signed my first professional contract in Winterthur, it was the first time that a dream really came true. But I would never have dreamed of becoming Swiss champions, playing for the national team, playing in the Champions League or now playing abroad.”
