David Cuffley Norwich City boss Bryan Gunn has admitted it may be difficult to turn down a big bid for midfielder Sammy Clingan in the summer.The 25-year-old Northern Ireland international said earlier in the week that the Canaries had turned down a bid for him from Fulham during the January transfer window, with some reports suggesting a �3m offer had been made.

David Cuffley

Norwich City boss Bryan Gunn has admitted it may be difficult to turn down a big bid for midfielder Sammy Clingan in the summer.

The 25-year-old Northern Ireland international said earlier in the week that the Canaries had turned down a bid for him from Fulham during the January transfer window, with some reports suggesting a �3m offer had been made.

Gunn insists there was no formal approach for midfielder Clingan in January, but is realistic enough to know that there could well be bids at the end of the season.

He said: “There were no offers club to club. But you can read into that what you want. There was mention of an offer but it wasnfrom club to club. We'd only deal with Fulham, obviously, club to club, or any other club.”

If an offer was made, it would have to be considered. Said Gunn: “If it were true, you've got to take a lot of things into consideration - including our needs as a club to have quality players, especially at this stage of the season. There is no sense in selling our best players now when we're in need of our best players on the pitch in order to achieve results and points. But from a financial side, clubs like Norwich would need to consider bids like that. And from the player's point of view, with the opportunity to play at a higher level, you'd have to take that into consideration as well.

“But that's hypothetical at the moment because there's nothing doing and there won't be anything doing now until the end of the season.”

Gunn said he was “delighted” with Clingan's reaction to reports of an offer and did not want to look as far ahead as the close season. “It's a long time away, the summer. I know we've got 14 massive games and Sammy realises that and wants to be part of it,” he said. Clingan, who has made 30 appearances for City, scoring three penalties, since his Bosman free transfer from Nottingham Forest last June, was rated 50-50 for today's Championship match at Preston.

He was unable to play in Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier in San Marino on Wednesday because of a thigh injury.

He teamed up with Nigel Worthington's squad but returned to Norwich in time to be considered for selection if fit.

“He got this bang against Wolves and then played against Bristol City so it just shows you he's committed and he wants to play,” said Gunn. “But we've also got to be aware that if we do play him and he gets it worse, we'll be without one of our top players for a number of games, so that's a decision we'll make when he have to make it.”

On-loan David Carney is also back from his international stint with Australia in Japan, when he made a brief appearance as a late substitute in the World Cup qualifier in Yokohama.

Ryan Bertrand was ruled out of today's game with an ankle ligament injury and faces a race to be fit for next Saturday's visit of Burnley.

Striker Cody McDonald, signed from non-League Dartford last week, is also unavailable for senior action because of injury.

“He got a bang in the game I saw against Maidstone. He's got a dead leg above his knee,” said Gunn.

“We want to make sure he's right before we put him into the rigours of full-time training. He's back jogging now. He'll probably be training with us next week.”