Fortuna Dusseldorf set to agree deal for £3 million Norwich City striker | OneFootball

The forward had been on loan with the 2. Bundesliga side for the 23/24 campaign as they narrowly missed out on promotion to the German top flight, with an option for a permanent deal included in the deal.

That deal is now said to have been exercised this week, with the 22-year-old bringing an end to his three-year association with the Canaries, having played just 30 times for the Norfolk side.

Having joined the club for a reported club-record fee back in August 2021, it is a transfer that hasn’t worked out for the East Anglian outfit, who stand to make a loss of over £5 million with his cut-price sale.

Christos Tzolis set to join Fortuna Dusseldorf after impressive loan spell from Norwich City

After netting just one league goal during his time at Carrow Road, City were happy to offload Tzolis for the previous campaign, before the Greek star turned his fortunes around with a move to Germany.

His 22 goals in 30 league games saw him rediscover the sort of form that earned him that high-profile move to England in the first place, as he fired his temporary side into the race for the promotion spots in the German second tier.

Having lost on penalties to VFL Bochum in the playoffs on Monday, Dusseldorf failed to get promoted, and with it the price tag for Tzolis dropped from £4.25 million to £ 3 million, such was the original agreement with City last summer.

After that heartbreaking defeat, Tzolis wasn’t hopeful of a return to the German club next season, telling ESPN: ”I am really, really disappointed.

"I wanted to continue with Fortuna but I think it's really difficult for me to stay now in the second division.

"Fortuna will be in my heart forever and is one of my favourite clubs. The fans deserve better and I hope Fortuna can be in the Bundesliga next season."

The club obviously felt the same way about their impressive loan striker, as they made the early move to tie him down to a permanent deal as soon as possible.

No one scored more league goals than Tzolis last season, with his 22 goals matched by Hamburg’s Robert Glatzel and Hertha Berlin’s Haris Tabakovic, while he added another six assists over the course of the campaign.

Werder Bremen, Borussia Monchengladbach, Union Berlin chasing Tzolis after Fortuna Dusseldorf agreement

The agreement to sign Tzolis may not end the transfer movement for the Greek star this summer, with rumours that Fortuna may immediately cash in on their star striker, with interest from top German clubs.

Reports from the country earlier this year stated that with the option-to-buy in place, the second tier side may make the most of that option, before selling him on for a much higher fee to a club in the top flight.

Werder Bremen, Union Berlin and Borussia Monchengladbach are all said to be interested in the striker, and could be set to pounce on the top talent ahead to the next campaign.

Fortuna sporting director Klaus Allofs said earlier this year: "If you look at the situation very objectively, we don’t have the money. We will still keep our eyes open and are already having discussions with Christos and his advisor to find a solution.”

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Tzolis, but as it stands one thing is for certain: we won’t be seeing him in the EFL next season as he looks set for pastures new.