Michael Bailey Norwich City manager Glenn Roeder is facing a losing battle to bring in his number one strike target, while another long-running transfer saga looks set to end in big disappointment after finally entering its end game.

Michael Bailey

Norwich City manager Glenn Roeder is facing a losing battle to bring in his number one strike target, while another long-running transfer saga looks set to end in big disappointment after finally entering its end game.

Rosenberg assistant director Erik Hoftun has confirmed striker Steffen Iversen will not be allowed to leave the Norwegian club until a replacement is found, despite the player's desire to move back to England.

And as the Canaries prepare to start their first Carrow Road fixture of the Coca-Cola Championship campaign against Blackpool on Saturday with the same striker options yet to deliver a goal in their opening two games, Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi looks set to add insult to City fans' injuries by agreeing to a £2.5m move to Ipswich Town.

Roeder's summer search for a dominant striker is on the verge of hitting epic proportions as the number nine shirt in the Canaries' squad list remains vacant following the retirement of Dion Dublin in the summer.

The City boss' prime target is readily acknowledged to be Iversen, with the former Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves striker currently plying his trade in Norway's top flight with Rosenborg, who have Uefa Cup appearances to look forward to.

But with family ties to England, the 31-year-old's hopes of moving back to England have been dented despite a verbal agreement he could return to England if a club made an offer for him after Rosenborg admitted they will only agree to a transfer once they secure a replacement striker themselves.

It is a stance which makes any switch away from Norway unlikely during this transfer window.

Iversen's agent Christian Eidem has confirmed the Canaries have been interested in the Norwegian striker for some time, with that interest having increased over recent weeks.

But as Hoftun confirmed, while a bid from Norwich for Iversen had been received, the player would be going nowhere for the time being.

“It is not possible for us to sell Steffen and that is what the situation is now. He is our best point of attack, and we need him.”

Meanwhile, Ameobi looks set to end his long running transfer saga with a switch to Portman Road after undergoing a medical and is believed to be putting the final touches to personal terms today.

t Norwich City paid agents £210,200 last season, according to the 2007/08 Football League Agents Fees Report. The fourth such report shows the aggregate spending by clubs on agents during the last six months and also includes records for the season as a whole.

Football League clubs paid £11.1m to agents between 1st July 2007 and 30th June 2008, and perhaps not surprisingly the Championship paid out the most - just over £9.3m.