Norwich bid for Bennett into seven figures - McNally

Bennett has scored four goals in 32 games for Brighton this term

Norwich City would have made their most expensive signing in five years if they had brought in Elliott Bennett, says chief executive David McNally.

The Canaries were unable to agree a fee for the 22-year-old Brighton winger.

But McNally told BBC Radio Norfolk: "We made three offers, significant seven-figure sums.

"If we had our way he would have joined us and it would have been the biggest transfer fee this club has paid since January 2006."

That transaction was for Nottingham Forest's Robert Earnshaw, when the Canaries splashed out more than £3m on the Wales international.

City boss Paul Lambert did most of his business early in the transfer window, bringing in Leon Barnett,Marc Tierney and Aaron Wilbraham on permanent deals as well as securing Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury on loan until the end of the season.

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But McNally admitted that Bennett, who handed in a transfer request two weeks ago, "was the one that got away" as far as January's targets were concerned.

"This was a serious offer, we meant serious business," he added.

"Brighton are a great football club, good people, our relationship with them is unharmed by the events of the last four weeks.

"We can understand them not wanting to sell their best player, so we do have some sympathy but he was the one that got away."

Lambert will have the funds from the failed Bennett deal to use when the loan window opens next week.

But McNally insisted the Canaries, who are second in the Championship, would not be panic buying.

"We're not going to spend it for the sake of it," he said.

"In Paul Lambert we have a manager who is very good in the transfer market, he has the distinct quality of being able to spot a good footballer, which not everybody has.

"And we go into the rest of the season with the emergency loan market about to open in about seven days time and we've got money to spend if Paul wants it."