Wes Hoolahan signs a new two-year deal at Norwich

Republic of Ireland international Wes Hoolahan has signed a new two-year deal with Norwich City. The 32-year-old was strongly linked in January with a move to Aston Villa and the Dubliner appeared at one stage to be strongly agitating to push the transfer through despite the reluctance of then manager Chris Hughton to let him go.

Hughton's successor, Neil Adams, has apparently persuaded him that he is central to his plans and the Dubliner now says that he is happy to stay for the extra year the new contract extension covers.

“I’m delighted to have signed,” he told the club’s website yesterday. “Obviously last year it was a bad season for me but I came back in for the pre-season and the manager spoke to me and talked me through his plans. Now I just can’t wait to get started and I’m delighted to be here for another couple of seasons.”

Steve Bruce has confirmed Hull City's interest in young Cork City defender Brian Lenihan with the manager suggesting that he sees the Irishman initially becoming part of the club's development squad.

A fee

City boss

John Caulfield

said on Wednesday that bids from two premier League clubs – believed to have been Hull City and Tottenham – had been rejected but talks with City are ongoing with the Irish club reckoned to be targeting a fee of nearly €200,000 plus add-ons for the player whose services they would prefer to retain to until the end of the season.

Simon Cox has returned to Reading, the club where his career started, signing a two-year deal after a fee, believed to be in the region of €800,000 was agreed with Nottingham Forest.

Cox, who scored eight goals in 42 club games last season, had a year left on his contract at the City Ground but had been told by manager Stuart Pearce that he was unlikely to be a regular next season.

Clever enough

Former international

Stephen Elliott

has signed a one-year deal with Carlisle United after a successful trial with the

League Two

club in preseason.

"Stephen has been very good in training," said manager Graham Kavanagh who was previously a team-mate of the striker at Sunderland.

“He is different to what we already have. He is not just a goalscorer but also knows how to work defensively and put pressure on the opposition, and he is clever enough to play off a big man. I know his character and I know what he is all about.”