Canaries chief executive Neil Doncaster says the club will not break its policy of keeping its transfer business under wraps. While the summer's transfer activity is beginning to kick in across all levels of English football, City have yet to declare their hand as far as the numerous names linked with a move to Norfolk are concerned.

Canaries chief executive Neil Doncaster says the club will not break its policy of keeping its transfer business under wraps.

While the summer's transfer activity is beginning to kick in across all levels of English football, City have yet to declare their hand as far as the numerous names linked with a move to Norfolk are concerned.

And that, says Doncaster, is how it's going to stay as the contents of manager Nigel Worthington's transfer kitty remain a closely-guarded secret.

“We never announce figures as to what he has been given because that would simply play into the hands of our rivals,” said Doncaster. “If we do, clubs will look at those pronouncements and judge their price accordingly. We like to do our business in private.”

Which is why speculation over the likes of Duncan Ferguson, Chris Sutton, Greg Halford, Lee Trundle, Carlos Edwards and many, many more, remains just that: speculation.

However, Doncaster said work was going on behind the scenes as City attempt to shrug off the instantly forgettable 2005-06 season and make a fresh bid for a return to the Premiership.

“The reality is that work is going on and has been for a number of weeks and will continue to go on,” he said. “Unfortunately, not all clubs, players and agents work on the same schedules as us: the vast majority of people are away during the month of May.”

Doncaster confirmed that talks were on-going with goalkeeper Paul Gallacher - the only remaining player whose contract expires this summer - over the offer to extend his stay at Carrow Road, and said no bids had been received for any of the club's current playing staff.

Taken into account this season is the fact that City will be receiving their second, and final, parachute payment of around £6m - a system that helps bring clubs back to earth with a gentle bump rather than a crash after relegation from the Premiership.

But while the amount of cash available to Worthington fluctuates, the in-house system doesn't: in simple terms, the board sets the budget, the manager identifies the players and Doncaster negotiates the deal.

“What we have done this year as what we also do,” said Doncaster. “We allocate the amount to be spent by the manager as he sees fit.

“Whether he chooses to spend it on one or six players, on free transfers or wages or loans is really down to his judgment. It is not the board's place to tell the manager who to buy and we would never dream of doing that.

“That has been the case for the last nine years and it will continue to be the case.”