City boss Glenn Roeder looks set to finish the week at least ?800,000 and a 19-year-old striker better off after another busy day in the January transfer market.
For while Chris Brown's ?400,000 exit to Deepdale came as no real surprise, the announcement of Ched Evans' return to the Canary fold – albeit only for a month or so – this afternoon will catch most observers on the hop.
Speaking to the official Manchester City website on Tuesday afternoon – the day that Roeder had earlier suggested that he was due to get a definitive answer out of Sven Goran Eriksson and his No2 Tord Grip – the Welsh Under-21 international gave every impression that he was not about to extend his original loan deal until the end of the season.
That whatever had been said on his return to Eastlands, the free-scoring young striker was not figuring on being on the bus for Barnsley this weekend. He was, he said, looking forward to finding himself on the end of Martin Petrov's line of supply.
Once again, however, and Roeder's powers of persuasion with the Erikssons of this world appear to have worked wonders as Evans heads back to Norfolk for the next six weeks. Until February 26, to be precise.
Given the limited impact that Messrs Martin and Jarvis had on proceedings against League Two minnows Bury, you expect Master Evans could have a rather bigger part to play in events this winter – even if he will be ineligble for next Tuesday night's third round replay at Gigg Lane.
“We are delighted to have Ched rejoin us,” Roeder told the club's official site, as it broke the news late this afternoon. “I am very grateful to Sven Goran Eriksson for his assistance in making this happen.”
Roeder was always convinced that Evans would return – that common sense would prevail; that Eriksson would be unable to find much room at the inn for him games-wise – particularly once Manchester's blue half began their own New Year recruitment in earnest.
In fairness to Eriksson, despite being linked to a host of high-profile names he has yet to really add anything to his strike department. Indeed, more often than not the Swede is linked to digging players out, not in – notably the mis-firing Georgios Samaras, fingered for a switch to Birmingham City.
The only 'new' face thus far likely to keep young Master Evans down the pecking order is Bulgarian international Valeri Bojinov who after picking up a serious knee injury in the summer is now reported to be nearing a return to full-time training with the first team squad. Likewise, Eriksson has a habit of playing with only one out-and-out striker and dropping someone of Elano's ilk into the hole behind. All of which will limit Evans' chances even further.
There is, however, little doubt that if Eriksson is to turn all that early season promise into a European place at the end of it, something new and flash will be bolted on to the front of his team over the next three weeks – cue Evans' exit and the chance to further his education in the Championship having clearly already out-grown Premier Reserve League football.
As for Brown's departure, that has been trailed for the last four days as the struggling Lilywhites look to fill the gaping hole left by Patrick Agyemang's exit for big-spending QPR with the arrival of the 23-year-old former Sunderland trainee.
With just a single goal to his name in his 12-month Canary career, Brown might struggle to reach the Hall Of Fame – even if he always proved a willing trier. Nor was his cause helped by an early rash of niggling injuries.
Nevertheless, it is a sure sign of the relative dearth of players this window that not only could Norwich command a ?400,000 price tag for his signature, but the player himself could wrest a three-and-a-half year deal out of the Deepdale hierachy.
Handed the No9 shirt, much is clearly expected of Brown in the North-West as Preston make a concerted effort to buy their way out of the relegation mire following yesterday's ?800,000 swoop for West Bromwich Albion midfielder Richard Chaplow – a fee that, according to The Hawthorns end, could yet rise to ?1.35 million. Serious money in the current climate.
Put that next to the millions flooding through QPR and one or two of Norwich's recent drop-zone rivals are throwing money at the problem.
From Norwich's point of view, welcome as Evans' return is, the real action has probably still to start as they continue to give 'a trial' to Bulgarian international defender Valentin Iliev and keep themselves firmly in the frame for Martin Taylor's signature.
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