Andrew Surman has a big future at Norwich City, insists Canaries' boss Neil Adams.

The classy midfielder has been one of the stand-out performers during this pre-season after a bit-part role at Carrow Road under previous boss Chris Hughton.

Surman made just seven senior appearances over the past two campaigns and was loaned out to Championship rivals Bournemouth last season, but Adams insists he will be involved this time around.

The 27-year-old is expected to be involved again for Friday's pre-season finale at home against Celta Vigo and the Norwich boss has praised the midfielder's response after challenging all his senior men approaching the final year of their current contracts to impress this summer.

'Everyone will be aware he was away on loan last season and probably he came back wondering did he think he had a future here? Well he certainly knows now and also, how I have used him in this pre-season, just shows what I think about him,' said Adams.

'He got man of the match (against Nice) I am told and he was excellent. He was outstanding on the corner of that diamond and then we switched him to a two centrally in front of the back four. He used the ball very well, he makes us tick and I thought he got us going on the front foot and I have been delighted with his attitude and application.

'I've said the same about Wes Hoolahan. I've sat him down two or three times and told him how important I think he can be for us.'

Surman admitted last month his long-term future was still very much up in the air, but the lure of first team football would be a major factor in his thinking.

'The main thing for me at this stage of my career, I'm 27 now, is that I need to be playing regularly,' he said. 'I want to play as much as I can off the back of a season where I played 30-odd games. It would be a change to then sit in the stands.

'I'm no different to every player and we'll see what the pre-season brings. I have got my head down and tried to work to my best and we'll see what happens.'

• Luciano Becchio, Jamar Loza and Josh Murphy were all on target in Thursday's 4-0 friendly win for the Norwich City development squad at Conference South Bishop's Stortford. City begin their development league campaign with a trip to Manchester United's Under-21s later this month before hosting Chelsea's under-21s at Carrow Road.