Paul Lambert extends deal at Norwich

Lambert had been linked with West Ham (GETTY IMAGES)

Norwich tonight confirmed manager Paul Lambert has signed a "new and improved" contract.

The Canaries are set to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2005 after securing back-to-back promotions under Lambert, who took charge in August 2009 with the Norfolk club near the foot of League One.

The 41-year-old Scot - who attracted an official approach from Burnley earlier in the season and emerged as a reported target for managerless West Ham - has been in lengthy discussions with the board over improvements to his rolling 12-month deal.

With those now concluded, Lambert will focus on securing new players to help the club stay in the Premier League.

Lambert told the club's website, canaries.co.uk: "It's terrific for myself and Ian [Culverhouse] and Gary [Karsa].

"We came here together and we've never indicated we wanted to leave at all. I've loved my two years at the club.

"I'm delighted everything has been sorted for the three of us and now we are working on bringing players into the club. We have to try and give the current group a hand, as I have always said.

"We want to try and make this club the best it can possibly be. We'll try and do everything we can to get a foothold in the Premier League and to enjoy it.

"The fanbase here is tremendous and if you have got them behind you, then you have a chance."

Former Celtic midfielder Lambert was named LMA Championship Manager of the Year on Monday night, his second successive accolade voted for by his peers.

Norwich chairman Alan Bowkett expressed the board's delight to have tied Lambert down on new terms.

"What Paul, his staff and the players have helped the club to achieve since he joined us has been absolutely incredible," Bowkett said.

"Therefore after protracted and professional negotiations, we are thrilled to report we have a new deal.

"Paul has stressed to me he has never wished to leave as he and the fans have unfinished business in the Premier League.

"We have always said our aim was to make Norwich City an established Premier League club and we will be doing everything in our power to support Paul as he works with us towards that goal."

Norwich earlier confirmed a record number of season tickets have been sold ahead of their return to the top flight - but many Canaries fans will face a scramble for remaining seats at Carrow Road.

The Norfolk club - runners-up to QPR in the npower Championship - have capped sales at some 21,833, with more than 1,700 now on a waiting list.

Carrow Road's capacity will be increased slightly over the summer, but with Norwich obliged under Premier League rules to offer 10% of the 27,000 capacity to the away team, the club accept "availability of casual home tickets will be limited next season", with possibly as few as 1,500 on general sale.

Should the Canaries manage to stay up - which they failed to do under Nigel Worthington in 2004/2005 - then plans are already in place to rebuild the main City Stand and so significantly increase overall capacity.

Lambert has been promised all of the £37million windfall from television income to help strengthen the squad as the Canaries look to avoid a swift return to the Championship.

Norwich have been linked with Leeds duo Robert Snodgrass and Bradley Johnson. Newcastle keeper Fraser Foster, who enjoyed a successful loan spell at Norwich in their League One campaign, and Manchester United's Belgian defender Ritchie De Laet.

Veteran striker Miroslav Klose is another said to be on Lambert's radar, the Norwich manager maintaining close ties in Germany from his time with Borussia Dortmund, where he won the 1997 Champions League.

The 32-year-old Klose, who has scored 61 goals in 108 appearances for Germany, is out of contract with Bayern Munich this summer, and could be tempted to the Premier League, but AC Milan and Valencia are also both watching developments.