Paul Lambert warns his players should get used to endless transfer speculation ahead of the annual New Year sales.

The Norwich chief prefers to do his own shopping on the quiet, but Lambert will not lose any sleep over his best players being linked with potential January window Carrow Road exits.

Anthony Pilkington's superb form in the opening weeks of the campaign has seen the 23-year-old linked with a �5m move to Liverpool – the first of many rumours for Lambert.

'You can't stop it. That is the nature of the game,' he said. 'It's the rumour mill. Until I hear it from a manager's mouth or he picks up the phone then I don't bother. The only one (voice) my players need to listen to is mine. If I tell them some team has come in for them then they can begin to think something might happen. If I don't hear it from a manager, that is the end of it. People want to write about things, that is the game. It's a two-way thing. If they are doing well for us and for the club then that sort of thing can happen. I obviously want them to play as well as they can, especially in this league where it is so tough.'

Pilkington, along with Marc Tierney and Wes Hoolahan, are also on the Republic of Ireland's radar, with Irish assistant boss Marco Tardelli revealing in midweek the trio have impressed. Lambert is backing his men to make a late run for the European Championships.

'It's great for them and for the club,' he said. 'It's up to those three to prove they are good enough to get into the squad. I'm pretty sure the manager of Ireland has got a rough idea of who he is going to take. Quite rightly so, with the lads who have got them there, they deserve every opportunity. But one or two from the outside will break in. It would be fantastic if anyone got there. If you go to a major championship it opens everybody's eyes and lets them see how they can fare out there, against some top European sides.'

Lambert acknowledges operating in the Premier League is the perfect shop window for international recognition.

'I don't think you should ever overlook what is below,' he said. 'That is important because there are good players there, but when you reach the Premier League it seems to magnify everything that you do. Quite rightly the lads are being spoken about.'