The prospect of Andy Cole finishing his illustrious career with Norwich City escalated when the former Manchester United and England striker was spotted heading out of Norfolk.

The prospect of Andy Cole finishing his illustrious career with Norwich City escalated when the former Manchester United and England striker was spotted heading out of Norfolk.

Dave Croft, from Acle, spoke to Cole as he prepared to fly out from Norwich Airport. And though the 36-year-old insisted he had only been visiting friends in the city, his presence will increase speculation that he has returned north to consider an offer from Carrow Road.

“I asked him who he was playing with now and he said 'Nobody at the moment',” said Croft. “When I asked if he'd been here to talk with Norwich he said, no, it was a personal visit. But he didn't appear to have any luggage with him.”

Cole spent the second half of last season with City's Coca-Cola Championship rivals Burnley after signing a one-year contract with Sunderland last summer.

Burnley made him an offer to stay at Turf Moor on a permanent basis, which he has turned down.

It then emerged that Leeds United were offering him a two-year contract as a player-coach, which would have fitted in with his reported desire to stay living in the north of England.

The Canaries do, however, have some cards of their own to play, not least that manager Glenn Roeder's assistant, Lee Clark, was a team-mate of Cole during his prolific scoring spell at St James' Park, and later at Fulham.

Clark may press on his friend the dramatic impact another golden oldie, Dion Dublin, had at Carrow Road in the twilight of his career.