City boss Bryan Gunn this morning bolted signings No7, No8 and No9 into his plans for the 2009-2010 season – and remained very coy as to whether Grant Holt would yet become No10 of a hectic week on the transfer merry-go-round.
With Stephen Hughes and Paul McVeigh occupying slots Nos 5 and 6, it was left to Preston winger Simon Whaley and Palace prosepct Rhoys Wiggins to fill the 7 and 8 berths; Spurs No3 keeper Ben Alnwick being this morning's surprise arrival in at No9.
With Shrewsbury sources still suggesting that their top-scorer Holt was Norfolk-bound, the Canary chief could be hitting the double figure mark before the week is out.
Of that tally, only one arrives on a short-term loan basis – Alnwick arriving on an initial, three-month loan spell. Whaley and Wiggins have both agreed two-year deals with the League One club.
“Me, David {McNally], the medical team and Manny the kit-man putting numbers on the back – we've had a busy few days,” admitted the Canary boss, with McNally's work on-going. Sammy Clingan was today reported to be in Coventry finalising his ?650,000 switch to the Sky Blues; Mr Holt's whereabouts remained more of a mystery.
The names of Whaley and Wiggins had done the rounds for a few days; Whaley's protracted arrival was down to the length of his medical.
Alnwick was the surprise; that all happened 'quick-fire' on Wednesday night after Declan Rudd got called up for England Under-21 duty; Jed Steer picked up a slight knock and the Canaries waited for Michael Theoklitos' clearance papers to arrive from Australia.
The former Melbourne Victory keeper has also been nursing a slightly sore hip; all of which persuaded Gunn to dip his first toe into the Premiership loan water and added Joe Lewis' long-time England Youth rival his chance of first team football.
And then, of course, there's Arran Lee-Barrett who likewise arrived on trial this week.
“Arran's still with us,” Gunn explained. “The situation is that we were waiting for international clearance on Michael Theoklitos – which has only just come through – and we're obviously building his training up as well.
“Declan Rudd got called up for the England Under-19s last week; Jed Steer strained a back muscle on Wednesday night in the warm-up so obviously we're quite short on the goalkeeping side. But we moved very quickly on Wednesday after the game at Dereham.
“I spoke to Tony Parkes who was more than happy to recommend that Ben come to us for three months and battle it out with the other guys for the No1 jersey.”
Inevitably, the question of a fourth arrival was asked.
“I'm happy with three at the moment,” said Gunn, proving rather prolific in his transfer dealings; and just the one loan too.
“And you want four? Give us a bit of breathing space,” he added. Back in Shrewsbury and boss Paul Simpson was remaining 'tight-lipped' about Holt's movements; other than he didn't expect him to be available for tomorrow's pre-season friendly against Leicester City.
“We're still working behind the scenes,” said Gunn, well aware of the speculation.
“And we're hoping to progress other things. But, yes, this is a big boost to the squad; positions that we need to be covered – and have competition for. And, obviously, we're delighted with the standard of player that we have introduced today.”
Of today's three arrivals, the one likely to be all-but guaranteed a start against Colchester United on August 8 is ex-Preston winger Whaley who arrives – in effect – as a ready-made replacement for last season's Player of the Year Lee Croft. Welsh Under-21 left-back Wiggins arrives in mid rehab from a summer op; he is likely to remain in the hands of the physios for the next “two to three weeks” and will, therefore, miss the start of the new season.
As for Whaley, Gunn today offered the 24-year-old the platform on which to become another wing favourite at Carrow Road.
“In my previous roles watching games, I've seen Simon perform and from our records I think he had 21 minutes against us at Deepdale and I don't think Jonathan Grounds enjoyed playing against him.”
What was interesting is the whole scenario arose “from an enquiry from another manager” – presumeably giving credance to the line that Darel Russell was the intended target of Alan Irvine's call.
“I was surprised that Simon was available,” said the City chief. “So we acted as quickly as possible in terms of agreeing a fee with Preston.”
And what were City buying?
“Pace is obviously one of his big assets that you look at; his ability to go past players, full-backs, either side; get crosses into dangerous areas. And, also, he can offer us a goal threat as well.
“And the style of play that we will have will be suited to Simon,” promised the City chief, offering pace and width as part of the 2009-2010 recipe.
“It is an area, a position, where Norwich City's past players have been hero-worshipped. And this is something that I said to Simon when we were talking.
“Lee Croft is the most recent; Huckerbys; Neil Adams; Ruel Fox; Dale Gordon. And I'll go back to the 1958-59 FA Cup run if you want with Kenny Foggo and people like that. And I think that was one of the attractions for Simon – that if he can knock it off with the fans, he will be worshipped.”
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