Lambert coy on Holt talk

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has already identified transfer targets, but insists Norwich striker Grant Holt is not one of them.

The 42-year-old Glaswegian was formally unveiled as the new Villa boss on Wednesday, taking over from Alex McLeish. The midlands club could only manage a 16th-place finish last term, while Lambert guided Premier League newcomers Norwich to a 12th-place finish on the back of consecutive promotions.
Striker Holt was an integral part of Lambert's hugely successful three-year spell at Carrow Road, but the 31-year-old has been left disappointed by the club's refusal to offer him a new three-year contract and had a transfer request turned down last month.
West Ham have already had a £4million bid turned down, and with Lambert having moved on there is speculation that Holt will join him at Villa. But, while Lambert was fulsome in his praise for the centre-forward, he insisted he has not thought about signing Holt.
He said: "I haven't even thought about that at all. Grant Holt was brilliant for me. In the three years I was there (at Norwich) he was a huge part of what happened at the club. He is a terrific guy and I have a lot of time for him.
"He was brilliant for me as a footballer and a captain but things move on and I need to know about Aston Villa Football Club before I do anything else. I will look at things here first and foremost. We will try to bring some guys in but I swear to God I haven't thought about that."