Timm Klose has other options but admitted a Premier League return with Norwich City tops his list.
The Swiss international was initially signed in January 2016 with the Canaries battling for Premier League survival.
Now that contract is due to expire at the end of June and there has been little official word over the centre-back's future beyond the summer.
However, negotiations over an extended stay in Norfolk are believed to have progressed a fair way - and Klose has now acknowledged it is his first choice to remain at Norwich and with it, make his Premier League return.
"That is the choice I would prefer," said Klose. "The Premier League is the best league in the world and it would be great to return. But many other doors are also still open and I will give myself the time to make the best decision.
"There was really a great atmosphere this season here and a good level of play, and the coach and several players being a small clan of Germans within the team also brought a little something extra.
"The club is fit for the Premier League. The concern for football is that everything is governed by money, and it will take that to strengthen.
"The club will receive money but it is how to use it - and not like Fulham, who squandered it to buy players who did not make the difference."
A knee injury in January officially sidelined Klose for a month - but with Ben Godfrey then making the vacancy his own, City's former Wolfsburg defender did not start another game all season; he played for a total of nine minutes in eight appearances.
Although Klose did return, he won't now feature in Switzerland's squad for next month's Nations League finals in Portugal where the hosts await in their semi-final - with one of England and Netherlands joining the victor in the final.
"Some pains remain and I want to give myself some time so that my knee regains its best condition," admitted Klose, speaking to Swiss media outlet 20 Minutes.
"We had discussions with the coach (Vladimir Petkovic) and I was not a first choice for Portugal anyway.
"My season was pretty good but it's annoying to have to suffer that injury. I would have liked to play a little more and I was on a nice run until then.
"The good news is that I was the coach's (Daniel Farke) first choice until then - so I hope everything will be better after the break."
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