Speculation linking Gary Hooper with a loan move to Bolton Wanderers has been dismissed by Norwich City manager Neil Adams.

The Bolton News reported that new Bolton boss Neil Lennon was hoping to sign the striker on loan, having managed Hooper for three successful seasons at Celtic.

With the 26-year-old having been ruled out of the start of this season by a calf injury, he was only able to make his first league appearance for City as a second-half substitute in Saturday's 1-0 loss at Fulham.

Now Adams wants to see the former Scunthorpe and Southend goal-scorer rediscover his old form at Carrow Road, not with his old boss in Bolton.

'You do get enquiries and it's going to happen more and more as we come to January, certainly for taking players on loan,' Adams said of the speculation.

'Gary Hooper, his place is here, he was involved on Saturday, I think he looks sharper now, he looks more lively. We know what he can do, he can finish as good as anybody, he's part of what we need here now.

'If the phone goes it will be 'thanks for the enquiry, but I need him here'.'

Hooper scored 82 goals in 147 games under Lennon's stewardship at Celtic, winning the Scottish Premier League title twice and the Scottish Cup twice.

That convinced Chris Hughton to pay a reported £5million to bring Hooper to Norfolk in the summer of 2013 but he only managed six goals in 32 Premier League games.

With Hooper now back to full fitness following his pre-season injury, he is pushing for his first league start of the season ahead of tomorrow night's Championship clash with Leeds United at Carrow Road.

Adams would not be drawn on whether Hooper will start the game, but admitted he will probably make changes to the side which lost at Fulham, as he looks to end a run of three games without a win.

'When you've not won for three games players have less of a claim to the shirt, if you like, and I stress that with our performances, we've not had a horror show,' the Canaries boss added.

'I've not seen the players having nightmares in the games, which easily could be the case, again we look at the way we played the games we've not done too badly, but it is about results.

'So if you're playing well and winning, you've every right to keep your shirt but obviously if you're not you've not got as much of a case, so there's options now to have a look at it.'