Canaries are linked with Pool centre-back Nelson

Michael Bailey

Hartlepool defender Micky Nelson is the first name to be mentioned as a possible Norwich City summer target as the club prepares for life in League One.

It promises to be a very different summer for the Canaries compared to previous rebuilding jobs, with a recruitment drive likely to revolve around signings from Leagues One and Two - or lower - to make up for City's old reliance on loan players and third tier income.

Hartlepool's 29-year-old centre-back would appear to fit the bill in most respects; an experienced defender, captain at Victoria Park for the last two seasons and yet to accept a new deal to stay at United.

One man who knows Nelson well is City's assistant manager, Ian Butterworth, who was number two to Danny Wilson for Pool before joining up with manager Bryan Gunn at Norwich in January.

Nelson almost joined Leicester City at the same time, and sources in the north east have suggested Norwich's interest is matched by Scottish Premier League side Hibernian, as well as League One rivals Leeds United.

Pools boss Chris Turner already has two defenders lined up should Nelson look to move away, in Sunderland's Peter Hartley and Harry Worley from Leicester.

The Canaries will have to scour places that may be unfamiliar to most City fans, as they search for the players that will restore the club to the desired, permanently contracted, squad Butterworth and the coaches want to work with in pre-season.

But despite all the financial restrictions and upheaval, that squad will also need to be good enough to put in a challenge for promotion out of League One at the first attempt - the very least most supporters will demand.