Believe it when you see it - that was the message from Norwich City boss Peter Grant as fans waited for first news of January transfer window arrivals and departures.

Believe it when you see it - that was the message from Norwich City boss Peter Grant as fans waited for first news of January transfer window arrivals and departures.

Monday night's reserve team friendly against Tottenham at Carrow Road helped keep the pot boiling with Bournemouth boss Kevin Bond and assistant Rob Newman - keen to secure the services of club captain Craig Fleming - watching the first 75 minutes from the directors' box.

In addition, the Spurs line-up included at least two men previously linked with the Canaries in 20-year-old Swiss international Reto Ziegler, a polished left-sided player, and 21-year-old Irish forward Mark Yeates, both of whom took the eye.

But Grant for once refused to talk about specific players - coming in or going out.

After the goalless draw against Spurs, he said: “I've nothing to report until somebody actually walks through the door.

“There have been a lot of phone calls. The first phone call I got today was at twenty-five to eight, so that's what you're waiting on.

“I had a full afternoon on the phone and that's why I was late getting here this evening, still talking to managers.

“We've got a few irons in the fire and we're desperate for a few of them to come off when you consider the amount of time that's been spent on them. So hopefully we'll have something to say come the end of it, but the only way you can guarantee that is the day they walk in and put pen to paper. I know how things change so quickly.”

The presence of Clive Allen's Spurs reserve team had no special significance, he said.

Said Grant: “There's a few names that have been mentioned at Spurs. It's fantastic that a club of that stature wants to come down and play you.

“It gets you to see players. I know most of the Spurs players from my time in London. I used to go and see a lot of their games.

“Yes, there's a few guys I know can play there. There's a few names there that I've looked at and I like, but I could say that about quite a few clubs.”

Fleming has so far declined to comment on his future, while Grant would not discuss Bournemouth's interest.

Meanwhile, injury and illness took their toll as Matthieu Louis-Jean, Peter Thorne and Paul McVeigh were all late withdrawals from the City side against Spurs, while other senior squad members are suffering from a bug.

Lawrence Hunter, son of first-team coach Martin, was drafted in for a trial outing at left-back after spending time training with City.

Grant said: “There's a bit of a flu' bug going about the place. We've had four or five boys struggling with that.

“Adam Drury was struggling in the first half on Saturday but was determined to play on, so it was great credit to him.

“Some of them had a day off today and other ones just went for a swim. All we had left tonight was very much the bare bones because we have the FA Youth Cup game at Newcastle on Wednesday evening.”