Alex Neil says that Norwich City are talking to and trying to attract players to the club before the close of the transfer window.
Talking to the assembled media at Colney on Friday lunchtime, Alex Neil refused to say much about Robbie Brady and a rumoured impending move to Burnley but he did say that the club were looking for a left back.
This is what he told the Pink ‘Un
“There is a lot of speculation around Robbie. Hence the reason why we are looking at left-backs,” he said.
‘We are tying to recruit left-backs. We let Martin (Olsson) go but we have another guy who can play left-back still here. We also have cover in terms of Steven Whittaker. It is not a case we have bodies that can`t operate on that side. Robbie Brady trained this morning. He is in the squad for Saturday. At the moment nothing is going to happen in or out before the weekend. It might change. We are at a crunch time in the window when things can literally happen.
“Listen, we have been speaking to players and trying to attract players in the left-back position. We all know the speculation surrounding Robbie so we are obviously doing our work to make that position stronger. Zeegelaar and Dijks are players we have had an interest in. In terms of them both being here and having talks that is not entirely accurate. We have spoken to Mitchell Dijks, yes. We had spoken to Zeegelaar before but he hadn`t been here. It looks like those two (deals) are dead.”
Neil also gave a little insight into the thought process of players.
“What happens with players as much as clubs is players enter negotiations at times knowing they have something else in mind or another club in mind. They are not always as upfront or honest as they might seem. If you are a player and you have three clubs interested you would speak to all three and hope your preferred one lands. It is not necessarily the case they are desperate to come to you just because you have entered into negotiations. That happens on occasion.
“Equally if we are looking for a left-back are we going to take both? No. What you do is spread your net and we try to take them to an end point. There will be plenty no-one hears about because either we or a player don`t want it to happen. That is the way football works. If you go for one player only and don`t get him then you are in bother. Players are the same.
“I have a list of left-backs as long as my arm. I am not saying they are top of my target list because things are always happening. They are the two who have made public comments. That is the only difference. That doesn`t change. What happens is agents get a bit naughty at times and put things out in the press to show their client is in demand.”
Hmm, interesting.
OTBC