Paul Lambert admitted yesterday the Canaries will have to shop in a different market to many of their Premier League rivals in the January window.

The City chief has been linked with the likes of Nottingham Forest's Chris Gunter and Blackpool's Matt Phillips in recent days, but Lambert has pledged to stick to a simple maxim – Norwich will only spend what they can afford.

'People keep saying how we have gone for the lower leagues,' said Lambert. 'I'd love to bring in established players, but we can't do it. It's the wages. That is the thing. You all read the figures in the papers and we can't pay those. It's not a possibility.

'People aren't going to come here with the finances in the game. I heard it on a radio station the other day that if somebody can get thousands elsewhere they are going to take it. It doesn't matter what your job is – if somebody came along and offered you a few thousand more what are you going to do? Footballers are no different to the rest.

'We'll probably get linked with everybody and some of that will be that far-fetched, but whatever the finances can stretch to then I'll have to work with that.

'I've been fortunate in that the lads I have worked with, not just this year, but the last two years, have been really top lads. That is indicated in the success they have had. That is another thing we have to get right. They also have to be good people.'

Lambert confirmed any potential fresh additions will be with one aim in mind – to ensure Premier League survival.

'The group need a hand. They certainly need a hand and it will be up to the club to go and do it,' he said. 'I don't want to sit here and get relegated after one year. It's up to the club to do it. I can't do anything else but give them names, but we won't be able to go out and spend millions and millions of pounds.

'I've given them names we want to try and get in. I would love to bring in people who are top of the tree, but I can't – that is the reality of it. But this group have never let me down before. There is no point me looking towards next season. You don't get time. I could be here one minute and off the next if I don't get the results. That is the nature of the beast. We have to bring players in who can hit the ground running.'