Chris Hughton close to taking over as manager of Norwich Hughton was in talks with Norwich on Wednesday night after a compensation package of about £2 million was agreed for the 53-year-old and his back-room staff Colin Calderwood and Paul Trollope. Norwich had been in dialogue with Birminghamfor the last two days and the Championship club "reluctantly" gave permission for Hughton to hold negotiations on Wednesday. The deal is expected to go through later on Thursday, with Hughton poised to leave St Andrew's after less than 12 months. Birmingham reached the Championship play-offs last season but are currently under a transfer embargo after failing to publish their yearly accounts in April. Carson Yeung, chairman of parent company Birmingham International Holdings, has had his assets frozen in Hong Kong and is facing charges of money laundering while Yang Yuezhou, the second major shareholder, has resigned as a director. There are also expected to be player sales this summer to raise cash, with England goalkeeper Jack Butland, winger Nathan Redmond and midfielder Jordon Mutch all likely to be targeted. Hughton has operated under severe restrictions with great dignity and will return to the Premier League for the first time since his harsh sacking at Newcastle in December 2010. Calderwood and Trollope will join him in East Anglia, while Hughton also wants Dave Watson, the goalkeeping coach, to make the move. Hughton's predecessor, Paul Lambert, was officially unveiled at Aston Villa on Wednesday and the manager has already presented his list of summer transfer targets to Randy Lerner, the chairman. Lambert can expect substantial funds to reinvigorate Villa after two seasons of underachievement, while many of the squad could be sold to boost his recruitment drive. Norwich have called in the League Managers" Association after Villa refused to pay any compensation, and Lambert is ready to infuriate his old club even further after last night revealing there are no restrictions on him returning to Carrow Road to sign players. Striker Grant Holt is a likely target. Lambert said: "The three years I was at Norwich he was a huge part of what has happened. He is a terrific guy who I have a lot of time for. I will look at things here first and foremost but the chairman knows lads I have certainly asked to look at and we will try to bring them in. Lambert is also on a mission to enhance the feel-good factor generated by his appointment. Last June Alex McLeish was named as manager despite fierce opposition from supporters, but 2,000 season tickets have been snapped up since Lambert's arrival. He said: "I know the pressure of it. I'll thrive on it. I look forward to being under pressure. There's a feeling around the place that's really good at the minute. It's up to me to try and keep that. I sensed it the first time I came here. I'll do everything I can to make this club successful.