Canaries midfielder Dickson Etuhu could be a summer target for Sheffield Wednesday. The Yorkshire club's manager, Paul Sturrock, admitted his liking for the 23-year-old - although it's highly unlikely he would be able to prise him out of Carrow Road.

By CHRIS LAKEY

Canaries midfielder Dickson Etuhu could be a summer target for Sheffield Wednesday.

The Yorkshire club's manager, Paul Sturrock, yesterday admitted his liking for the 23-year-old - although it's highly unlikely he would be able to prise him out of Carrow Road.

Sturrock is usually reluctant to respond to inquiries about individual players, but made a surprising break from that rule yesterday when asked about rumours linking him with the former Manchester City and Preston player.

“I would be delighted to bring him to the club, but I believe he could cost a transfer fee of around £600,000 and that money is beyond us,” said Sturrock.

Stumbling block number one would clearly be the finances, while the fact that Etuhu has hardly had time to settle at Carrow Road means he is unlikely to be shipped out.

The strapping midfielder joined City on loan from Preston in November with a view to a permanent deal during the January transfer window. That deal went through, with City shelling out a fee of £450,000, but it wasn't until the latter stages of the season that Etuhu began to look like the player that had also attracted the attentions of Everton boss David Moyes.

He is highly thought of by City boss Nigel Worthington, who had originally tried to sign him at the end of the 2004-05 season, as a replacement for Wigan-bound Damien Francis.

City yesterday stuck rigidly to their policy of not commenting on speculation concerning Etuhu, and also straight-batted a newspaper report that linked the club with a move for Kenny Cunningham, who hit the headlines earlier this month for firing a verbal broadside at Birmingham manager Steve Bruce after being released by the Midlands club following their relegation from the top flight.

The Daily Mirror said City boss Nigel Worthington was keen on the 34-year-old former Republic of Ireland defender, but while he is available as a free agent, his departure from Birmingham is unlikely to have done his chances of a quick move any favours.

Cunningham stunned the football community when he lay the blame for Birmingham's relegation firmly at Bruce's door, claiming the ex-Canaries defender failed in organisation, preparation and attention to detail.

Bruce waited until this week to respond and said Cunningham's comments would not have helped his career.

“Any prospective manager watching that will have been put off because it is the last thing you need,” he said.

One rumour that might have more legs is the link between City's forgotten man, Peter Thorne, and League Two strugglers Notts County.

County boss Gudjon Thordarson was yesterday in talks with a whole clutch of players and their agents, said to include the 33-year-old striker who joined City from Cardiff on a free transfer last summer.

Thorne, who has score djust once in 11 Championship appearances for Norwich, played for Thordarson at Stoke before moving to Cardiff for £1.75m five years ago.

Meanwhile, Bruce is said to be interested in Tottenham midfielder Dean Marney, whose season-long loan at Norwich failed to run its full course because of an Achilles injury sustained in the home defeat by Sheffield Wednesday at the end of October.