Ryan Bennett’s Norwich City transfer is the subject of a legal challenge from Grimsby Town

Norwich City defender Ryan Bennett's transfer to the Canaries from Peterborough in January 2012 is now the subject of legal action from first club Grimsby over the amount they claim is still owed by Posh relating to Bennett's sell-on clause.

Bennett moved to Carrow Road for an undisclosed fee just under three years ago after emerging through the ranks at Grimsby, where he was the Mariners' youngest-ever captain prior to completing a £500,000 Peterborough switch in January 2010.

Now Grimsby director John Fenty has revealed the Conference club were in court this week regarding payments they claim are still owed by Peterborough.

The Grimsby Telegraph report Fenty believes Grimsby could be due up to £48,000 as part of the terms negotiated in the original sell-on clause.

'We had a 25pc sell-on as part of the deal that saw Ryan move to Peterborough. Our interpretation of this sell-on is that we enjoy the collective proceeds related to the payments that Norwich City have made to Peterborough,' he said. 'There is some wording in the contract that is deemed dubious because there's a challenge from Peterborough that they don't want to uphold these payments.

'We've been to arbitration, during this week, and it will come down to a judge's decision, based on his interpretation of the case before him. They made their representations and we made ours and we'll have to wait and see what the outcome is.

'It will literally come down to one person's decision. My view is that if we get something, it's a bonus, if we don't, it won't have cost us anything. It could be anywhere between nil and £48,000.'

Bennett has made 50 appearances for the Canaries since his London Road move, but has missed the majority of the current campaign with an ankle injury. The centre back is poised to step up his return to fitness in Monday's scheduled development league game at Fulham.