The Danish forward was the club’s headline summer signing, after the Canaries triggered his Brondby release clause to get the 23-year-old for an initial £6.9m.

Kvistgaarden joined up with his new team mates on their 10-day tour of the Netherlands and Belgium, but did not feature in any of the four friendlies.

The attacker is still playing catch up after his extended previous season for club and country, but could be line for minutes in next week’s curtain raiser against NAC Breda at Carrow Road.

“Possibly,” said Manning. “We have to be mindful he had a full on summer as well after a full on league season. He is coming in a little bit later than the other lads, what we don’t want to do is force him, rush him, and end up losing him for a long period.

“He’s back on the grass, he’s doing some of the football bits and we’ll see how this next week goes and then make a decision. We’ll just keep increasing where he’s at.”

City’s squad flew back from Rotterdam on Saturday and will get some time off before the work starts again at Colney from Tuesday.

Defensive trio Kellen Fisher (hamstring), Manny Adegboyega (groin) and Jose Cordoba (hip) are targeting returns to team training after muscular issues on the club’s tour.

“We’ll have the two new lads as well, so that will be a start up day with new faces in the training groups,” said Manning. “Nothing major with Jose. It was just a contact at training (last Thursday). He took an elbow in the side and felt uncomfortable rotating. We’ll have a look and see how it settles but I expect him back in training next week.”

Manning confirmed after the 0-0 friendly against ADO Den Haag Kenny McLean had undergone minor ankle surgery.

“Just a little clean up, nothing major again, but it’s probably going to be him out for the best part of four weeks,” said the City chief. “It’s unfortunate, but we’re better off doing it now and kind of getting it settled, and then giving him the opportunity to get over that before we re-introduce him.

“Nothing hugely serious. Hopefully we’ll see him around the first international break.”

City have five Championship fixtures, starting with the kick-off against Millwall on August 9, before the first international break scheduled for the fortnight after the league trip to Blackburn on August 30. City return to action at Coventry City on September 13.