JONATHAN REDHEAD Norwich City have today been linked with a move for another Scottish-based player in the shape of Hearts midfielder Julien Brellier. But new Canaries assistant manager Jim Duffy has tried to pour cold water on the speculation and insisted no move for the Frenchman is on the cards - at least for the time being - as he has not discussed new players with boss Peter Grant.

JONATHAN REDHEAD

Norwich City have been linked with a move for another Scottish-based player in the shape of Hearts midfielder Julien Brellier.

But new Canaries assistant manager Jim Duffy has tried to pour cold water on the speculation and insisted no move for the Frenchman is on the cards - at least for the time being - as he has not discussed new players with boss Peter Grant.

The 25-year-old defensive midfielder is out of contract at the Edinburgh club at the end of this season after two years in the Scottish capital and would be free to sign a pre-contract agreement.

He was brought in by former boss George Burley and became an instant fans' favourite playing 34 games for the side, but this year he has fallen out of favour with eccentric Lithuanian club owner Vladimir Romanov and made just 21 appearances for the Jambos this campaign.

And Brellier's agent Maurizio de Giorgis admits his client's future is up in the air having not been in contact with the club for months.

“I haven't had any request from Norwich and I don't know if Hearts had any request,” he said.

“I haven't spoken with Hearts for a very long time. It's something that I heard through the media but I cannot confirm it.

“Julien's situation is still the same as one month, two months, three months ago. We don't hear from the club, we don't hear from anybody. I guess we are just waiting until the end of the season.”

While Brellier seems certain to move on when his contract runs out, Duffy says he has not yet spoken with Grant about any potential signings for next season.

“I believe his contract is up at the end of the year but I haven't discussed Brellier with Peter,” he said.

“I don't even know if Peter knows of him. It sounds like someone putting two and two together because I was at Hearts and Brellier's contract is running out.

“We haven't even spoken about players.”

But the former Hearts coach did not totally rule out a move for Brellier.

“I'm not saying things won't change once we do sit down,” Duffy said. “But at this moment in time his name hasn't been mentioned.”

Brellier began his career with Montpellier before moving to Italian giants Inter Milan in May 2000. He was then loaned out for three seasons to Lecco, Legano, Venezia and Salernitana and then Venezia once more.

But like defender Steven Pressley, midfielder Paul Hartley and goalkeeper Craig Gordon, Brellier has fallen foul of Romanov reign and effectively found himself frozen out after not signing a new contract with the club at the end of last year.

Celtic and Burley's current club, Southampton, were linked with a move for Brellier in the January transfer window, although nothing came to fruition.