Chris Lakey Ched Evans could be a target for Glenn Roeder - but only if Manchester City start spending some of the millions of pounds at their disposal. The Canaries manager is desperate to bring in striking reinforcements, especially now that Antoine Sibierski is heading back to Wigan.

Chris Lakey

Ched Evans could be a target for Glenn Roeder - but only if Manchester City start spending some of the millions of pounds at their disposal.

The Canaries manager is desperate to bring in striking reinforcements, especially now that Antoine Sibierski is heading back to Wigan.

But while Evans - who enjoyed a hugely successful spell at Carrow Road last season - would be ideal, Roeder believes those in the queue for him may have to be patient.

"I think Ched is on a lot of people's radar, but I think Mark (Hughes) has made it perfectly clear that until he gets somebody in in a striking role he won't be letting any of his surplus strikers out," said Roeder, who has regularly been linked with a return bid for Evans.

"And I wouldn't be surprised that players like Ched - and there are only a few in this sort of position - clubs will try and sell them first, then the loan becomes an option later in January, which is a nuisance because there are plenty of games to be played in January.

"I don't know officially if he's up for sale, but it would make sense, because other people we've inquired for they have said 'you just have to wait and see' he could become available on loan at the end of January but at the moment we would be looking for a sale".

"That doesn't apply to Ched, that's other inquiries I have made, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were thinking along the same lines.

"But I'm sure from Ched's point of view he will want to, and needs to, be playing senior football again. He got a lot of it here last year, he had a little bit of it at the beginning of the season at Manchester City."

Roeder confirmed that he would have been in the market for Arsenal teenager Jay Simpson - but didn't pursue the matter when West Bromwich Albion became involved.

Names are being thrown into the hat thick and fast, with Bury striker Andy Bishop, previously linked with City, refusing to sign a new deal - a sure-fire way to attract interest.

Sibierski was due to go back after next weekend's home game against Barnsley, and with an absence of at least a month on the cards it means any possibility of him returning has gone - although that was always unlikely.

"I have got huge respect for Antoine Sibierski," he said. "He always gives his all, he acts like a professional should act - we could really have done with him around the place in these next couple of games because attracting players is not a problem, but finding new players is what everyone is finding difficult - not just us, everybody."