Jens Berthel Askou was signed from Turkish side Kasimpasa

The future of Norwich City defender Jens Berthel Askou could be hanging in the balance, according to the club's former striker Iwan Roberts.

Defender Askou, 27, has been left in Norfolk along with midfielders Owain Tudur Jones and Matthew Gill while the squad train in Germany.

"It doesn't bode well for them really," Roberts told BBC Radio Norfolk.

"For them to have been left out of the trip to Germany would say they are not really in the manager's plans."

He added: "Maybe I'm reading it wrong but I think the majority of people will read it exactly the same.

"I wouldn't say they'll play too much part in the forthcoming season."

The trio are set to feature in a City XI squad to face King's Lynn in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday night.

606: DEBATE I'm amazed that Askou isn't with the rest of the squad in Germany. If he's been left behind then it seems like a clear message from Lambert Ashby_Green

Tudor Jones, 25, and Gill, 29, have barely featured for the Canaries since signing 12 months ago, but Askou made 24 appearances last season until his campaign was cut short by a foot injury.

Roberts, who scored 97 goals during a seven year City career, believes the Germany trip will help Lambert to decide who will be in his first-team for the season-opener with Watford on 6 August.

"When I was here I went to Scotland two or three times and I've been to Sweden and Austria," he said.

"Paul Lambert played in Germany. He knows it will put them in good stead and will give him some sort of idea about where his team are and how hard they need to work from now until the end of the season."

The squad arrived in Germany on Sunday and are set to train there for a week, returning in time for a friendly at Stevenage on 20 July.

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