According to STV north of the border, City boss Paul Lambert has opened talks with former Rangers left-back Steven Smith about a move to Carrow Road.
The defender is available as a free agent after his contract at Ibrox expired and Lambert has moved quickly to offer Smith a fresh start in the Championship.
He was one of several players whose Rangers deals expired at the end of the season and when no new offer was made, Smith made it clear that he would have to find pastures new.
And League One champions Norwich, who continue to progress nicely under Lambert, now look set to give him the opportunity to play in the English second tier.
Former Celtic hero Lambert had hinted last week that he was looking to bring at least one more defender to the club after signing centre-back Elliott Ward.
“Will I strengthen again in the back four? There’s a possibility I could do it because I think the lads need a hand,” he said.
“The current group were brilliant for me last year, really brilliant, but they need a hand. That’s what I will try and do. I will try and give this club the best chance and I will do everything I can to make it successful.”
Should Smith agree terms with the Canaries, he will be the second Ger to turn up in Norfolk after Ewan Chester was appointed chief scout at Carrow Road last week.
Whether Chester, who spent 20 years with the Glasgow giants, recommended Smith is yet to be seen; after all, he is not due to start work until this week.
But Lambert will certainly have the inside track on the full-back’s qualities from the ex-Rangers scout.
Adam Drury is the only recognised left-back at the club as things stand, with last season’s loanee Michael Rose yet to agree a permanent deal.
And with Hartlepool said to be keen to snap up the Stockport County man, Lambert’s potential move for Smith may put an end to Rose’s hopes of a Carrow Road return.
Smith’s first-team opportunities were curtailed at Ibrox by the presence of Sasa Papac and also due to a spate of injuries. He did, however, make enough league appearances to pick up an SPL winners medal and played in the League Cup final win over St Mirren.
Meanwhile, Chris Sutton’s move for young Norwich defender David Stephens was close to collapsing after the Academy product developed cold feet over a summer switch to Sincil Bank, according to the Lincolnshire Echo.
The highly-rated teenager is understood to have severe reservations over whether it’s the correct career move, despite agreeing a deal to join Lincoln last week.
The Imps are even thought to have thrashed out compensation with the Canaries following a successful loan spell last term.
But it is believed the player’s agent has now informed the former Canary £5 million pound man that his client is debating whether to press ahead with the switch.
There is thought to be another club, as yet unnamed, also keen on Stephens and Sutton is said to be frustrated with developments and close to pulling out of the move altogether.
The Imps boss has made it clear he does not want his summer rebuilding plans delayed as he looks to rebuild a squad that survived a gruelling League Two relegation battle last season.
Leave a Reply