£5.8m Norwich City man needs to step up for Liam Manning - he risks becoming Canaries flop | OneFootball

Matej Jurasek has not yet taken to life at Carrow Road

Matej Jurasek’s arrival at Norwich City in January 2025 was billed as a coup for the Canaries.

The 21-year-old Czech winger, signed from Slavia Prague for £5.8 million following lengthy links, brought with him a reputation for pace, creativity and European experience.

Yet, as the Championship season reaches its first international break, Jurasek has struggled to translate potential into performance, having featured in only 73 minutes of competitive football - all in the EFL Cup.

With Norwich sitting 11th after two wins and two losses, the pressure is mounting for the youngster to justify both his price tag and his long-term contract.

Matej Jurasek has not lived up to high expectations at Carrow Road

Jurasek’s path to Carrow Road was marked by steady progression through Czech football. A product of Slavia Prague’s academy, he made 91 senior appearances for the club, scoring 17 goals, and earned recognition on the European stage, netting against AC Milan and Ludogorets Razgrad in the Europa League.

He also represented Czechia at youth level before making his senior debut against Armenia in March 2024 and being included in the squad for EURO 2024.

Despite this pedigree and reputation on the continent, his early months at Norwich have been frustratingly quiet. Jurasek has yet to play in the Championship this season, missing the first two matchday squads, including the 2-1 opening-day defeat to Millwall.

Liam Manning has made it clear that fitness was not the issue: "Matej was considered to be part of it. It is competition. I can't pick everybody… We’ve got competition, and we're going to need that.

"But we also need to be clear with people if you're not at it, if you're not quite at a level, then we will only wait so long before there's someone jumping behind you to take your spot."

The winger underwent minor hernia surgery over the summer but showed glimpses of his capabilities in pre-season, scoring the first goal of Manning’s reign in a friendly against Northampton.

The message from the manager has been cautiously encouraging: Jurasek is part of Norwich’s plans, but the onus is on him to push for regular first-team inclusion.

A pivotal period looms for Norwich City’s £5.8m winger investment

Jurasek’s struggle for minutes comes amid a wider squad shake-up. Manning has omitted other notable players, including Shane Duffy, Anis Ben Slimane, and Emi Marcondes, reflecting the manager’s willingness to make tough calls in a competitive squad.

Speaking after Norwich’s League Cup win at Watford, Manning acknowledged Jurasek’s talent while signalling the need for further development: "It’s a tough one on Matej, to be fair, because his level in training… was really, really good. He’s someone who has got some attributes I really like. Matej is very much part of it, and at the right time you’ll see him.”

The subtext is clear: talent alone will not secure Jurasek a spot in Manning’s evolving system.

Norwich’s next fixtures and the months ahead are crucial. After the September pause, the Canaries will visit Coventry, followed by games against Wrexham, Stoke City, West Brom and Bristol City. It’s uneasy reading for a team who have made an underwhelming start to the 25/26 season.

Jurasek, with a contract running until 2030, has the platform to make an impact, but the window to prove himself in the Championship is narrowing.

For a player who impressed in Europe and earned senior international recognition, the challenge now is translating that potential into meaningful contributions for Norwich City - a test that will define whether he becomes a central figure or a cautionary tale in the club’s transfer history.