Robert Barnes 19 Posted January 8, 2013 Norwich are trying tempt Gary Hooper from Celtic with a £30,000-a-week deal to make him their top earner.Hooper has turned down a new deal at Celtic and his contract is up at the end of next seasonCity boss Chris Hughton scouted striker Hooper recently as he scored against Motherwell.Hughton is now hoping to persuade the striker to ditch Celtic despite the SPL outfit progressing in the Champions League.Hooper fancies a crack at the English top-flight. Last January Southampton tempted him by offering £25,000-a-week in the Championship and double in the Prem. He has stayed at Celtic since where he has scored 62 goals in 106 games.But Hughton is desperate for more firepower this month and has Swansea’s Danny Graham in his sights as a plan B.Initial enquiries for Monaco’s Ibrahima Toure, who would need a work permit, have gone no further.Grant Holt is the Canaries’ current top earner on over £20,000-a-week but has only scored four goals this term. JUST POSTING WHAT I READ BUT HOW TRUE IS THIS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flecky76 0 Posted January 8, 2013 Damn, you beat me to it ;) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron obvious 1,498 Posted January 8, 2013 Looks like a rehash to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stig 0 Posted January 8, 2013 Please Please PleasePleasePleasePleasePleasePleasePleasePleasePleasePleasePlease!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stig 0 Posted January 8, 2013 True or not, this needs to be what we actually are doing. Anything less is no good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gingerpele 0 Posted January 8, 2013 The daily mirror probably know nothing, just existing rumours re printed.Hopper, regardless of what he will give us, would be an amazing capture for the club, Celtic are a top team in the knock out round of the CL, if we can take their star striker away from them, well it''d be an achievement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jed exodous 0 Posted January 8, 2013 I thought Bassong was on somewhere between 30-40k? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Highland Canary 76 Posted January 8, 2013 Would be great and demonstrate serious ambition from the board. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AJ 1,218 Posted January 8, 2013 Would be a big signing, but we''ve got a lot of competition. Could we do better for the money though? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stig 0 Posted January 8, 2013 We have to, this would be the next step for Norwich and show real intent. They bid higher? We bid higher. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
William Darby 0 Posted January 8, 2013 I believe it''s inevitable we have to push our wages higher to compete.Plus like what''s already been said, Bassong I''d guess is our highest earner above Holt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan_Grey 0 Posted January 9, 2013 [quote user="jed exodous"]I thought Bassong was on somewhere between 30-40k?[/quote]None of us know what any of the players are on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oz Canary 0 Posted January 9, 2013 I hope it''s true, would love to see GHoop in yellow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Renskay 36 Posted January 9, 2013 Maybe Hooper would choose us over other clubs because he knows Hughton from his time at the Spurs academy.Maybe Hoots struck up a good imression with a 13 year old Hooper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beauseant 0 Posted January 9, 2013 The only thing that gives this story any tinge of credibility is the fact that James Nursey, a City fan with good links to Hughton, writes for the Mirror. I wouldn''t be getting my Hooper 99 shirt printed just yet, though.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWC 239 Posted January 9, 2013 I think its old news too - or a case of putting 2 and 2 together.I would also expect Bassong to be our top wage earner now, not GH. Bassong has played for 3 top premier league clubs and you would expect a player of his ability to be paid more than 20K!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby 0 Posted January 9, 2013 He is simply not good enough for the premier league. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ROBFLECK 132 Posted January 9, 2013 I beg your pardon fellow posters,...but after the last transfer deadline...I''ve become very pessimistic... I don''t think we''re gonna sign Hooper. I don''t think the club are gonna splash out on wages either , We''re in for another nailbiter imho. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joanna Grey 0 Posted January 9, 2013 Blooming heck, never realised that Nursey was one of us, thanks for the info Beauseant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PurpleCanary 5,554 Posted January 9, 2013 I am probably the last person to realise what the rest of you know (if it isn''t off-field finance I don''t really pay much attention...) but according to one of the Glasgow papers Hooper is out of contract at the end of the season and is stalling on signing an extension. That might mean Celtic are reluctantly willing to sell now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 271 Posted January 9, 2013 The same james nursey that informed us that Toure was at the very top of hughtons shopping list. It seems like some old news re-hashed but will wait and see what happens. As far as wages are concerned I have no doubt that Bassong and Holt are on meaty wages; but I thought I had read (so probably miles from the truth!) that Hooper was looking for well north of £30k pw as his new wage packet - which is why he had not signed an extension. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CambridgeCanary 0 Posted January 9, 2013 [quote user="ZippersLeftFoot"]The same james nursey that informed us that Toure was at the very top of hughtons shopping list. It seems like some old news re-hashed but will wait and see what happens. As far as wages are concerned I have no doubt that Bassong and Holt are on meaty wages; but I thought I had read (so probably miles from the truth!) that Hooper was looking for well north of £30k pw as his new wage packet - which is why he had not signed an extension.[/quote]The same Nursey but he did say Toure deal died because of work permit problems so who knows?Nursey tweets this morning very positive that City have a very attractive offer for Hooper and are going for him Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S10 Canary 0 Posted January 9, 2013 Nursey also tweeted that he''s established that NCFC categorically want Hooper and are seriously chasing him. Apparently Danny Graham is plan b and cheaper. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Brownstone 0 Posted January 9, 2013 Nursey also said that Hooper doesn''t really want to come here, he wants a bigger club and bigger wages, but we''re the only ones in for him. Stay up there then chap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZLF 271 Posted January 9, 2013 Hooper or Graham? Graham for me simply because he has prem league experience and is cheaper. Hooper has championship experience and an overblown sense of self worth, that no one else is interested should be ringing alarm bells. For each Jelavic there is a Kris Boyd. Remember Lappin went up there on loan and impressed in the SPL... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Barclay hero 0 Posted January 9, 2013 [quote user="Mr Brownstone"]Nursey also said that Hooper doesn''t really want to come here, he wants a bigger club and bigger wages, but we''re the only ones in for him. Stay up there then chap.[/quote]As well as Hooper has done in the SPL, he''d be an unknown in the Premier League in England and a bit of a gamble. If he doesnt want to come (and if any of its true, I''d suggest it all is) then I dont want him here - we dont sign journeyman footballers that just want to pick up a wage, there are other clubs that do (and it doesnt usually work out well) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stig 0 Posted January 9, 2013 So many experts on Hooper! Where did they all come from?!No. Hooper is a decent footballer, how Scooby gathered he isn''t good enough escapes me. And as for him being a journeyman? How''s that..?Please, IF we are lucky enough to make this signing try not to boo him... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
priceyrice 123 Posted January 9, 2013 Would be underwhelmed by Hooper but I admit to not seeing him play that often. Saw a bit of him at the start of season and seems to suffer the same problem as Holt, refuses to train over the summer break and looks unfit untill he gets a run of 3-4 games in a side.I would be wanting a more agile big man, Graham every day of the week for me, big, strong and has some pace.Hooper is defiantly not a Jelavic, could see him being another Scottish league striker flop in the prem- lets not go downs Middlesborough route to failure. I am hoping this is a smokescreen to bring Graham in Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ROBFLECK 132 Posted January 9, 2013 Hooper or Graham? Not difficult for me either: GRAHAM ... but I don''t think we''ll get him... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites