Nigel Worthington has confirmed that Simon Charlton will be leaving the club during the summer. The versatile 34-year-old let the cat out of the bag when he told the EDP that he feared his days at Carrow Road were numbered.

Norwich City manager Nigel Worthington has confirmed that Simon Charlton will be leaving the club during the summer.

The versatile 34-year-old let the cat out of the bag when he told the EDP that he feared his days at Carrow Road were numbered.

And Worthington made it official yesterday when he revealed that he had decided against offering the player an extension to the two year contract he signed following the Canaries' promotion to the Premiership.

“Simon will be leaving us in the summer,” he said.

“It's down to his age more than anything else. We have got to look to move on.

“He has served us well. He has got great experience and he is a great pro to have around the place. But there comes a time when you have got to look to freshen things up and bring younger legs in.”

Worthington told Charlton of his intentions in November and has been impressed with his reaction. Rather than sulking, or going public with his disappointment, the player decided to concentrate solely on his football - and has turned in a number of solid performances for the team since the turn of the year.

An excellent display at Leeds, when he was part of a central midfield trio, neatly summed up the good work - and the manager will clearly have no hesitation in calling him up again during the final months of his Norwich career should the need arise.

“He is still an important part of the squad, that goes without saying,” said the City boss.

“We had the discussion pre-Christmas so he was pretty clear about what was going to happen. But I have got say his attitude in training, and when he has been asked to play, has been first class. He showed that at Leeds recently - that's how professional players should be.”

Charlton, who has made 48 appearances for City since his £250,000 move from Bolton, scoring two goals, is planning to play on for a good few years yet - and Worthington is sure he will be getting plenty of offers during the summer.

“It depends on what Simon wants to do,” he said. “But I am certain there will be clubs there who will want to take him because, as I said, he is a good pro and he has got a good name in the game.”

With the news out in the open, Charlton reiterated his desire to carry on playing for a good few years yet.

“It's a case of me now getting as many games as possible now before the end of the season and letting people know I'm available,” he said yesterday. “I still think I've got a lot to offer. The manager here must think I can still do something because I'm getting in the team.

“It's a case of looking around and seeing who is interested. I'm doing my coaching badges as well, so I'm getting those under my belt.

“I knew it was coming, which was a bonus really - it wasn't sprung on me.”