Chris Lakey Canaries striker Chris Brown looks set to leave Carrow Road after reports that he is on his way to fellow strugglers Preston North End.The 23-year-old was not included in Saturday's squad for the FA Cup third round tie against Bury, with one of the Sunday red tops yesterday suggesting he was deliberately left out because of an impending move to the north-west.

Chris Lakey

Canaries striker Chris Brown looks set to leave Carrow Road after reports that he is on his way to fellow strugglers Preston North End.

The 23-year-old was not included in Saturday's squad for the FA Cup third round tie against Bury, with one of the Sunday red tops yesterday suggesting he was deliberately left out because of an impending move to the north-west.

The Sunday People claimed Preston, currently bottom of the Championship, have agreed a deal with City and now have to persuade the former Sunderland front-man to join them at Deepdale, with talks expected to be held with Lilywhites manager Alan Irvine in the next 48 hours.

Brown has started just eight Championship games this season - but hasn't featured in any of Glenn Roeder's starting line-ups.

Having joined City from Sunderland in a £325,000 deal last January, Brown struggled in front of goal and has been on target just once in the yellow and green, in a 2-1 defeat at Burnley in October - his last start.

City boss Glenn Roeder admitted last week that there had been interest in Brown before the current transfer window opened - and that he was expecting further inquiries.

Roeder is expecting a number of players to leave Carrow Road, with goalkeeper Joe Lewis tipped to sign for Peterborough in a £400,000 deal, possibly as early as today, and Ian Murray yesterday linked with a move to League One side Brighton, who are confident of beating Falkirk to his signature.

City's scoring problems almost cost them dearly against Bury, who left Carrow Road with a 1-1 draw after City missed a host of good chances - which is probably why Roeder has been linked with Hartlepool's £500,000-rated James Brown.

The 21-year-old has scored six goals for the League One side this season and has attracted the interest of a number of Championship clubs, although Roeder does have an advantage - Canaries coach Paul Stephenson mentored the youngster at Hartlepool before coming to Norwich last month.

Reports on the internet yesterday linked Norwich with a one million Euros bid for Bulgarian defender Valentin Iliev, who plays for CSKA Sofia, although it would appear promotion hopefuls Watford are monitoring the same player.

Roeder is said to be interested in Cardiff left-winger Paul Parry, who would cost around £700,000.

Parry, who scored in Cardiff's 3-1 FA Cup win over non-league Chasetown at the weekend, is also reportedly interesting Ipswich, Coventry and Leicester. Parry is one of a number of players linked with a move away from cash-strapped Cardiff, although manager Dave Jones claims the sale of Chris Gunter to Spurs for £2m means he isn't forced to sell this month.

Plymouth midfielder David Norris was left out of Argyle's side for the FA Cup win over Hull on Saturday, prompting speculation that he is interesting Norwich and Leicester as well as Ipswich, who reportedly had a seven-figure bid turned down last week.