Dani Pacheco is confident Norwich City’s promotion winners have what it takes to compete in the Premier League next season – and he may even be tempted to join them.
The on-loan Liverpool star pocketed two goals in six appearances as the Canaries completed back-to-back promotions to book their return to English football’s elite group after a six-year absence.
And, although Pacheco is expecting to be a Liverpool player next season, the Spanish Under-21 international would be open to a Carrow Road return should the chance come along.
“Well we don’t know yet what will happen next season, I think it’s too early to know,†admitted the personable ?20-year-old during Tuesday’s civic celebrations. “Liverpool are still playing in the season and we are still celebrating down here, so I will go back and then see what happens. For next season, we don’t really know yet.
“But it’s great for me, it’s a nice feeling and I appreciate the way the Norwich fans want me to come back next season.
“And if I don’t get any chances at Liverpool or if they think that the best thing for me is to go out on loan, I will definitely be more than happy to come down here again.â€
Pacheco added: “Definitely I think these lads deserve to be where they are. They did brilliantly all season and last year, they definitely deserve to be in the Premier League and definitely they are good enough.â€
The former Barcelona forward made an immediate impact at Carrow Road after joining at the end of March, with a sumptuous display on his debut – City’s 6-0 home win over Scunthorpe United – before the fifth goal at Ipswich and Norwich’s second in the final day draw at home to Coventry rounded off nicely his impressive spell in Norfolk.
“It’s been amazing; we won almost every game and the fans have been amazing – I have really enjoyed it with the lads,†said Pacheco.
“They have been brilliant. They have been phoning me all the time, trying to make things easy for me and I just can’t say thank you enough to everybody because since I came they have treated me really, really well and it has been a really nice experience for me to be here with all of them.
“They have made everything easy – the players, the staff, everybody at the club. I came on the first day, we won 6-0 and that probably helped. We played really well and we got confidence.â€
Five substitute appearances in the Premier League plus a combined trio of starts in the Europa League and Carling Cup are all Pacheco has from his first two seasons at Anfield – and it remains to be seen whether there will be more opportunities under Kenny Dalglish’s revitalised side next season.
But for now the Malaga-born striker was happy to reflect on the first meaningful action – and success – of his professional career.
“I came quite young to England and I have been in many academies but this is really the first time I have been with a first team and as a first experience it couldn’t be better,†added Pacheco.
“We were second in the league, we got promoted to the Premier League and to have that experience with Norwich has been amazing for me and great for me.â€
If no Norwich return is forthcoming, at least supporters will be able to follow his progress on Twitter – in the same way he has given glimpses from behind the scenes of the Canaries’ promotion charge over recent weeks.
“We try to get closer to the fans and they appreciate i wherever we are, so hopefully I’ll continue doing that on Twitter,†said Pacheco – or to go by his Twitter username, @dani37pacheco
