More good news as Ashton speaks out

Last updated : 19 August 2005 By Rick Lamb
Canaries fans accustomed to losing more star players than the club brings in can be forgiven for pinching themselves this morning. Fresh from the news that the club look set to beat several Premiership clubs to the signing of Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison, record signing Dean Ashton insisted the move did not mean he is on his way.

Ashton became the latest figure at Carrow Road to rubbish claims that he is Premiership bound. Wigan Athletic have been strongly linked with the England under-21 star, but he is happy where he is.

"I want to make it clear I am more than happy at Norwich," Ashton told The Sun newspaper. "I have not asked for a move. Unless the board decides otherwise, I am a Norwich City player."

With such unequivocal commitment from the club's most valuable asset, attention can turn to the prospective arrival of Birmingham City striker Morrison. Blues manager Steve Bruce revealed that a number of clubs had made bids for the Tooting-born 26-year-old, with the Canaries having met the asking price, reported to be around £2million.

Morrison was expected at Carrow Road yesterday for talks, but there has been no official confirmation of the signing. The striker played in Wednesday night's Republic of Ireland international defeat to Italy, prior to which he had revealed that he was not prepared to sit on the bench at St Andrews. He moved to the second city from Crystal Palace in 2002 in a £4.25million move which took Andrew Johnson in the opposite direction. The arrival of Emile Heskey last season followed by Mikael Forssell and Walter Pandiani have pushed Morrison down the pecking order and he has sought regular football elsewhere in the run up to the World Cup.