Holt was League Two's player of the season while at Shrewsbury

Norwich manager Paul Lambert has admitted he could not force Grant Holt to stay if the right offer came along.

Shrewsbury boss Paul Simpson has been criticised by fans for selling Holt to the Canaries in the summer, but Lambert says he is in a similar position.

"Money dictates the game," Lambert told BBC Radio Norfolk. "Smaller clubs can't reject decent money, it's really tough for lower league teams to compete.

"If somebody comes in with a bit of money, players tend to move on."

He added: "It's not just in the lower leagues, you could look at Ronaldo - £80m was just too much for even a club like Manchester United to turn down."

Holt himself admits that Simpson had little choice over the deal.

"I think it was more of a financial decision from the football club than the manager," said Holt.

"I had a chat with him and expressed my feelings that I had to go. It was an opportunity where the club was too big not to go.

"He agreed and I'm thankful to him for that."

Holt was a summer target of Lambert's at Colchester, but Bryan Gunn was able to lure him to Carrow Road.

Everybody's got a price, but from our point of view you'd fight tooth and nail for him not to go anywhere Paul Lambert on Grant Holt

Yet Holt found himself playing for the former Scotland international midfielder within weeks as Gunn was sacked and replaced by Lambert.

The Norwich manager says the 28-year-old, who he has made captain, has been the leading light of his team.

"He's been brilliant, there's no doubt he's been absolutely colossal for me," said Lambert. "Shrewsbury's loss has been Norwich's gain.

"Everybody's got a price, but from our point of view you'd fight tooth and nail for him not to go anywhere."

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