Norwich City: Clement maps out left back transfer search | Eastern Daily Press

Philippe Clement has ruled out a panic buy after injured Norwich City left back Lucien Mahovo was sidelined for the start of the Championship season.

City were already in the market for a new full back to compete with Mahovo and Ben Chrisene, prior to the 21-year-old suffering ankle ligament damage in a pre-season friendly against Colchester.

Chrisene made his summer return from shoulder surgery in the 3-0 away win at St Gallen, but Clement insists there will be no knee jerk reaction in the market.

“We said that from the beginning we wanted another player for that position, so nothing changed. We're still looking for that,” said the Belgian. “But you need to find the right player for the right amount of money.

"The club is still looking for that, but that was also the idea if Lucien was still fit. It's what we need for this season to make the step that we want.

“(Is there now an added urgency?) We're always urgent. We all want, and everybody in the club - the recruitment team, Ben (Knapper), the owners, me, everybody - but it needs to be the right decision because it's not for the next month; it's for the next year and years to come that we need to make the right decisions.

"So we will see along the way in the next days and weeks when the moment is there to find the right person for the right price.”

Philippe Clement is prepared to bide his time for the right Norwich City left back signing (Image: Philipp Kresnik)

Chrisene played the opening 45 minutes in Switzerland before Kellen Fisher underlined his versatility - in a repeat of last season’s availability issues in the same defensive position - and later youngster Vatan Ozcan earned another outing.

Clement is predicting another step forward from England Under-21 international Chrisene this campaign, after his previous improvement under the City boss.

“Yes, 100pc And he showed it in this game also,” he said. “He showed what I knew already, that he worked really hard during his rehab on everything on his physical condition. That's why he can step in without any game minutes in a game like this and show that level.

"So no, he has an exciting season to look forward to, and it's now building him up to get these 90 minutes and to get the fitness to the level we want.”

City have so far added headline summer signing Andre Brooks in this current window, plus former loanee Sam Field and young Brazilian centre back, Bruno Alves, to a squad that finished in the top 10 last season.