Pukki joined Norwich under Farke’s management in June 2018 and went on to score 88 goals in 210 appearances in yellow and green before departing at the end of the 2022/23 season. Only Iwan Roberts, Terry Allcock and Johnny Gavin have scored more goals for the club than the former Finnish international, who ranks fourth on Norwich’s all-time goalscoring list.

The Finn brought his 16-year international career to a close in November 2025, netting his 43rd goal in a farewell match against Andorra and remaining Finland’s all-time top scorer, ahead of Jari Litmanen.

After 13 years abroad, he returned home in January 2025 to sign for HJK Helsinki, where he has since made 44 appearances and scored 24 goals.

The 35-year-old striker has also been involved in media work in Finland, serving as a pundit for Viaplay, where he recently caught up with his former City boss, Daniel Farke, to ask how he is finding the challenge of guiding Leeds to Premier League safety.

“Stressful, stressful,” Farke told Pukki in an interview with Viaplay. “It’s a big club and a passionate club. Yes, lots of work, obviously, especially at this level, Teemu, as you know, on Premier League level.

“I still have a soft spot for strikers anyhow, and love my strikers to score. And I still more or less have the same beliefs as I had a few years ago (at Norwich), but of course, you have to evolve and develop a little bit.”

The German currently has the same backroom team at Elland Road as he had during his four-and-a-half years in Norfolk: assistant coach Edmund Riemer, first-team coach Christopher John, goalkeeping coach Ed Wootten, and fitness coach Chris Domogalla. Pukki worked closely with all of them during his memorable time in England.

Farke has the same backroom team at Leeds United (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)

“They are getting older, so more grey hair. For Chris Domogalla, he is still there with self-confidence, and he still thinks he runs the place. Eddie (Edmund Riemer) and CJ (Christopher John) are still in a good mood.

“So, for me, it’s important to have my core group of staff with me,” he continued. “Because it’s not a one-man show at this level. You need a good group you can trust, and who are loyal, and we still work very closely together.”

Farke experienced top-flight relegation with Norwich in the 2019/20 season and was sacked in early November of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, just hours after their first win of the season away at Brentford – a game in which Pukki had scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot.

Pukki scored the winner in Farke’s last game in charge of the Canaries at Brentford in November 2021 (Image: Daniel Hambury/Focus Images Ltd)

Sporting director Stuart Webber stated at the time that Norwich had to make the change to ‘give themselves the best opportunity of retaining Premier League status’, a target they ultimately failed to achieve.

After Leeds returned to the top tier this season, his record at that level has been questioned, with just six wins and eight draws from 49 games in charge of the Canaries over two seasons, a win rate of 12.2%, scoring 31 and conceding 101.

But the 49-year-old has already surpassed that total, with seven wins and 12 draws from 31 games, leaving the West Yorkshire side 15th in the Premier League table, four points above the relegation zone, with seven games remaining.

Leeds have a wealth of players with top-level experience, including Dan James, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Justin, in contrast to Farke’s Norwich team, where Pukki was one of very few with such pedigree.

“Yes, it’s obviously a different club, with a different setup and different players. You were one of my most experienced players, but apart from you (Pukki), hardly anyone had played at the top level before.

“And, you know, it’s difficult when you have clubs like Tottenham involved in the relegation battle, along with Nottingham (Forest), who are playing in Europe, and West Ham. So, it’s not easy, but I’ve got a good group together, and we’re looking forward to the upcoming weeks.”