Paul Lambert plotting January bid for Canaries star
Published:Paul Lambert has set his sights on securing the services of attacking midfielder Wes Hoolahan from former club Norwich City as the pressure mounts on the boss of the struggling Midlands club.
The Scot can currently be backed at 11/2 with Ladbrokes to be the next Premier League manager to leave his post, after the 44-year-old came in for criticism following Aston Villa’s shock FA Cup exit at the hands of League One Sheffield United.
He will be hoping that a January move for Hoolahan can appease unhappy Villa fans, who have seen their side win just one of their last seven games in all competitions.
The 31-year-old is currently under contract until 2015, but with the Canaries deep in the relegation mire, it is thought that the one-time Republic of Ireland international would favour a move away from Carrow Road, with the Clarets weighing up a bid of around £1.5 million.
Norwich City currently sit 15th in the Premier League and are priced at 3/1 to go down this season, with Crystal Palace currently sat in the last of the three relegation places and just three points worse off than the East Anglia club.
Chris Hughton also remains under pressure, and with the Delia Smith-backed club winning just one of their last eight the former Newcastle gaffer is 8/1 to be the next Premier League boss to depart his role.
Their chances of avoiding the drop could be severely dented by the loss of Hoolahan, who has been something of a stalwart for the Canaries since their return to the top-flight, with Lambert a particular admirer of the former Blackpool man’s talents.
He certainly appears determined to recruit a player in that position, telling the press of his intentions following his team’s loss to Sheffield United.
“I call them No10s. I think people who can make things happen are important, because they take a risk and they take a chance,” he said
At present, the Villans are 10/1 to go down, but the addition of the experienced attacking midfielder could potentially propel the side into the upper half of the table with the Birmingham giants on at 10/3 to finish the season in the top 10.
All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date
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