CHRIS LAKEY Norwich City tried to bring Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini to Carrow Road last season.City boss Peter Grant was keen to add the experienced Italian for a loan spell - after David Marshall was injured during the FA Cup fifth round tie at Stamford Bridge in February.

CHRIS LAKEY

Norwich City tried to bring Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini to Carrow Road last season.

City boss Peter Grant was keen to add the experienced Italian for a loan spell - after David Marshall was injured during the FA Cup fifth round tie at Stamford Bridge in February.

Marshall's injury - when he damaged ankle ligaments on a poor Chelsea pitch - ruled him out for the rest of the campaign, but Grant revealed yesterday that he had a sympathetic hearing from Jose Mourinho when he asked whether Cudicini or Hilario was available.

"We inquired about them because obviously we knew they had three or four goalkeepers," said Grant. "We knew Petr Cech was coming back, but they offered us one of their young boys who eventually went to Hibs.

"They were willing to help us out because they they had seen David playing for us and knew he was a very good asset and we were disappointed to lose him.

"They were very helpful in that respect. Obviously we felt we needed an experienced one coming in and the likes of Hilario or Cudicini could have been different. They still thought they had the League Cup plus Europe and that was too important for them."