Canary target wants a move

David Cuffley Reported Norwich City transfer target Martin Paterson has handed Scunthorpe a written transfer request. But the club have refused the 21-year-old striker's wish to leave Glanford Park - telling him he will remain an Iron player.

David Cuffley

Reported Norwich City transfer target Martin Paterson has handed Scunthorpe a written transfer request.

But the club have refused the 21-year-old striker's wish to leave Glanford Park - telling him he will remain an Iron player.

The Northern Ireland international's decision comes little more than a week after Championship side Burnley had an offer worth £550,000 for the player rejected by Scunthorpe acting chairman Rex Garton.

“Martin Paterson has put in a written transfer request to the club but has been advised, through his agent, that the request has been turned down,” Garton told the club's official website last night.

City boss Glenn Roeder is believed to have inquired about Paterson in January, with a figure of £850,000 mentioned in reports, although Iron chairman Steve Wharton claimed at the time that an offer of £5million would not be enough for the club to part with their top scorer.

Two bids from Burnley, and reported interest from the Canaries and Cardiff, seem to have unsettled the former Stoke player, who scored 14 goals for Scunthorpe last season.