Ferret

There's one thing about being parked up the far end of the A11; that if anyone turns up in the Norwich City directors box, then you know that they are there for a reason.

Carrow Road is not one of those grounds where you check your watch at 12 o'clock and say to the Mrs: 'You know what, darling, I just fancy taking in a game today, think I'll go and watch Norwich-Blackpool….'

Not if you're Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink.

Who, by …

It's funny the way that, on occasion, old Ferret has to turn detective; to play the court-room lawyer and spot a slip by the star witness.

In fact, there has been more than one witness to events today – including a mate of a mate down in old London town. One of the Mr 15%s, to be fair.

Anyway, the line that offered an intriguing clue as to where City's final piece of the jigsaw lay came in our Glenn's Press conference this morning…

“I don't …

The word tonight is that the Canaries will unveil their 11th signing of the summer tomorrow.

And it ain't who you think it's going to be, either.

In fact, old Ferret would be amazed if anyone had heard of the kid; because with the Doc out injured for at least the next three months with the knock he sustained in the opening tour game in Sweden, the word on the street is that No11 is his teenage replacement. The young, centre-half loan that Roeder admitted last week …

Having been round the block once too often with old Milan, Ferret's belief in the recent Howard stories is – unlike the weather – all a bit lukewarm.

I suspect there might have been a nibble, but little more.

Cos he doesn't really quite fit; height-wise, sure; target-man, yep… after that, however, and you begin to wonder.

Particularly on the value for money side; cos he won't come cheap – not when he's already on a nice, fat three-year deal at …

Another hour, another name.

For while there may yet be a little in Norwich's chase of the lad from Linfield – the potential fly in the ointment there being Iain Dowie's interest in bringing the boy to QPR – our Glenn was giving it the full blank looks once Arturo Lupoli's name was thrown his way at Emerald Park this evening.

The 21-year-old one-time Arsenal and Derby starlet was reported to have been the subject of an official bid from the Canaries – or so said …

Old Ferret was doing some digging today and came across something intriguing when he found that our friends at FranceFootball had 30-year-old Nice defender Patrick Barul in Norfolk undergoing a trial with the Canaries.

Put into an online translator, FranceFootball's small article read something like this:

“Arrived the last summer to Nice from Lens, Patrick Barul played only eight matches with the Eaglets the last season. Monday, day of return of the Gym, the defender …

Reading between the lines is always fraught with peril. And trust old Ferret here, but this afternoon's meeting with the gaffer offered more by way of smokes and mirrors than the Pleasure Beach.

But for those of you hoping for a bit more action after Sammy's arrival this week, might be in for some fun over the next few days.

Might.

“I wouldn't take the weekend off,” were Glenn's parting words.

“It's like fishing – you might get …

As ever in these situations, you have to try and put two and two together. Find the 'hyper-link', as someone once told old Ferret.

Which, in Ferret's speak, is the same as saying: 'So, who's his mate?'

Which is where Paddy McCourt comes into it. Him and Mr Clingan. Cos Mr McCourt came from way out of the left-field; before today and the 24-year-old Derry winger was just a glint in Tony Mowbray's eye. And no more.

He was all set for …

With the old rumour mill starting to gather pace now, Sky Sports threw an interesting one into the pot this morning – Luton midfielder David Bell.

According to those boys, the 24-year-old could become Glenn's first capture of the summer with the Canaries leading the chase for the Hatters' star courtesy of 'a lucrative three-year deal'.

Why he interests old Ferret, is the line that Foxes boss Ian Holloway came out with when he signed him on the very …

Next one up to sign on the dotted line? That would be Master Eagle.

His was the name that was missing this week, but as Roeder laid out some of his summer thinking at Colney this afternoon, so it became clear that the gaffer still has room for Robert in his thinking. No mean feat given the queue of his Academy contemporaries that were filing out of the exit door after Hucks – particularly when the 21-year-old didn't play a game all season – he made it to the bench for the away …

With the season of wheeling and dealing now back upon us, it's time for old Ferret to step back out of the shadows, put his ear to the ground and see what's what.

First up and a little story that popped up in the Newcastle Chronicle overnight – one that suggests that a proper revolution is afoot at Colney now that the season is all done and dusted.

And while many will be keeping an eye on where released United centre-half Peter Ramage goes next after the …

So with 24 hours still to go, what's the word?

That it's going to be one busy day tomorrow. That Bates arrival could just be the start of the fun and games.

And if anyone cares to take a peek over the neighbour's hedge, it's the same down the road. As things currently stand Ipswich Town haven't got a goalkeeper after Neil Alexander's shock disappearance north.

But that's Magilton's problem. Here and Norwich have two major …

The word from St Mary's tonight?

The our Glenn was confident of adding at least two new faces to the squad on Thursday; there may be one more. Possibly another.

Which if old Ferret's fingers are enough should make four.

And given the Gaffer wasn't wholly ruling out today's reported interest in Scunthorpe's Martin Paterson, that could be one.

The Arsenal kid on whom he's got 'first refusal' could be another; and if …

Now this one is quite interesting. All of a sudden our little pal has “another English” club on his tail.

Or rather, as my little translation box will insist, “a girlfriend“. Which, old Ferret can only presume, is a Mickey Mouse translation of 'suitor'. But anyway…

Anyone need to go back to the beginning? Nah, I thought so. So, here we go again. This one from AS.com – albeit a couple days old. But having trawled about tonight I can't find …

So, where's he now? Well, as far as old Ferret can work out, it's fast approaching decision time for our Sunny as the 19-year-old Valencia prospect ponders a host of options.

One of them, we still suspect, includes an offer of a six-month loan at Carrow Road – not that the Spanish Under-20 star is short of 'other girlfriends' as one translation put it.

Malaga in the Spanish Second Division looks to have replaced AEK Athens as the firm favourite; one …

It's a Friday afternoon, OK? Time for a spot of light relief.

That over, it's time to catch up on our little friend Sunny. And the joys of tracking Ferret's little Spanish mate through a translation box.

Sunny, for those of you who haven't kept up is… Nah, where have you been all week? Where were we? Oh yes, it now looks as if he ain't going to AEK on loan.

Right, so what follows is the latest page from AS.com – the latest …

Ooooh, old Ferret doesn't half love a good transfer tale. And this one's a cracker…

Only trouble is that your man knows even less Greek than he does Spanish, so the thoughts and intentions of our new little friend Stephen 'Sunny' Sunday end up going through a Google translator.

So whether or not the 19-year-old Valencia midfielder is about to join AEK Athens on a six-month loan deal is something of a mystery tonight.

I don't …

Ooooh, old Ferret doesn't half love a good transfer tale. And this one's a cracker…

Only trouble is that your man knows even less Greek than he does Spanish, so the thoughts and intentions of our new little friend Stephen 'Sunny' Sunday end up going through a Google translator.

So whether or not the 19-year-old Valencia midfielder is about to join AEK Athens on a six-month loan deal is something of a mystery tonight.

I don't …

When it comes to the January transfer window, there are rumours. And there are rumours.

Some make no sense; some hold more water than others; some, old Ferret listens to. Others, he just thinks: 'Nah…'

But every once in a while, one catches his eye and he thinks: 'Mmm…' And that's how it was this week. With that one that popped up about our Glenn chasing some kid from Valencia. Some Spanish 'wonder kid'.

Only he had …

Suggestion was that there wasn't a deadline as such tonight, anyway.

You play the old 'emergency loan' card and you can haul someone's ass in tomorrow morning if needs be; so it wasn't necessarily a case of six o'clock or else.

But whatever, there was no fresh news expected tonight and everyone was staying firmly 'Mum…' about whether or not that two o'clock phonbe call Roeder was promised ever materialised.

Given it was all …