Young Norwich City goalkeeper Joe Lewis is on the brink of joining Peterborough in a £400,000 deal, the Canaries confirmed last night.The 20-year-old Academy product has decided to try his luck at a lower level after failing to make a single competitive first team appearance for his home club.

Young Norwich City goalkeeper Joe Lewis is on the brink of joining Peterborough in a £400,000 deal, the Canaries confirmed last night.

The 20-year-old Academy product has decided to try his luck at a lower level after failing to make a single competitive first team appearance for his home club.

The move - first reported in the Eastern Daily Press on Friday - has been agreed between the clubs and Posh, pushing for promotion from League Two and in the fourth round of the FA Cup, are hoping to formally announce the signing this morning.

Lewis made the bench for the Canaries in the Championship at the tender age of 15 but was never required to deputise for Robert Green and has since found his way to the first team blocked by the likes of Paul Gallacher, Tony Warner and, most recently, David Marshall.

Although an England international at various levels, he had to look outside Norfolk for a chance to prove himself and joined Stockport County on loan in March 2007, making five starts before returning to Colney at the end of the season. He was then sent out to Morecambe by former City boss Peter Grant at the beginning of this campaign and made 22 appearances for the Shrimps, including a League Cup run in which the minnows knocked out Championship sides Preston North End and Wolves.

Lewis returned to Carrow Road at the end of December as cover for Matthew Gilks, who is recovering from an ankle injury, but the prospect of being third choice keeper again clearly didn't appeal, especially with fellow England youth prospects Declan Rudd and Jed Steer also on the books at Carrow Road.

City boss Glenn Roeder explained that the youngster had decided to move on to get regular football.

"With a young and talented keeper in the shape of David Marshall currently in goal and Matthew Gilks on his way back from injury, Joe's opportunities for first team football with us have been limited and understandably he wants to be playing first team football," he told the club's official website.

"The club is also well blessed with other young goalkeepers, with Steve Arnold and England youth internationals Declan Rudd and Jed Steer coming through the ranks. Everybody at Norwich City wishes Joe all the best."