Norwich City have completed a deal for Slavia Prague’s Matej Jurasek for an undisclosed fee – but the 21-year-old will not be available until after the current transfer window.
Jurasek penned a five-and-a-half year Carrow Road deal in a £5.8m package, and the Canaries’ headline January signing will wear the number 10 shirt.
But under the post-Brexit rules on player movement for English clubs targeting overseas talent City are unable to register the Czechia international until February 3.
Jurasek completed his medical and agreed personal terms on a flying visit to England earlier this week, but has now returned to his homeland.
The attacker is not eligible for a GBE (Governing Body Endorsement) to obtain a UK work permit, and City have filled their four Elite Significant Contribution (ESC) slots – a tweak to the original rules on player movement agreed by the football authorities and the Home Office since 2020 – to recruit Jose Cordoba, Oscar Schwartau, Amankwah Forson and Ante Crnac.
However, Crnac has now definitely reached the threshold of minutes in a Norwich shirt to be registered for a GBE immediately after the current January window closes – freeing up an ESC place for Jurasek.
City opted to complete a deal for a long time target rather than potentially risk losing out in the summer.
Jurasek was previously linked with Stuttgart, Union Berlin and Atalanta, while Belgian Champions League outfit Club Brugge were believed to be tracking him.
The left-footed wide player made 91 appearances in all competitions for Czechia league leaders Slavia, who are currently on a mid-winter domestic break.
He also featured for his country at last summer’s Euros and has European club competition experience this season.
Jurasek, who operates on the right flank, becomes City’s second permanent signing of this window, after the Canaries triggered a buy option in the loan for Anis Ben Slimane from Sheffield United.
Lewis Dobbin has also arrived on loan until the end of the season from Aston Villa, with fellow winger Kaide Gordon returning to Liverpool.
“I’m really excited to be here. I think I will improve myself with the help of the coaches and my team mates and I hope to make a real contribution to the club,” said Jurasek, quoted on the club’s official site.
“I like the stadium and the training ground and have heard good things about the area, so I am very happy.”
Sporting director, Ben Knapper, revealed Jurasek had been a long term target.
“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Matej to Norwich City,” he added. “He’s a player that we have followed for a considerable time, so we’re very pleased to finally get this deal over the line.
“He’s an exciting player and a huge talent that we feel is a great fit for us, with a very high ceiling. For a young player, he already has a lot of experience in both domestic, European, and international football.
“We’re excited to have him join up with us in the coming days and we’re sure that we can go on a great journey together with him.”
Jurasek left Slavia’s mid-winter training camp in Marbella to seal a Norwich switch.
“Something nice ends, something new begins. I am very much looking forward to a new challenge, I need to play, collect minutes. I believe that Norwich will be a good address for me, a great life experience,” he told Slavia’s site in his final interview for the club.
