LEE CLARK is confident knee-injury victim Lee Novak will be fit for the start of the season – and is remaining tight-lipped on suggestions Huddersfield Town have made a £300,000 bid for Leicester City striker Steve Howard.
Last season’s 14-goal marksman Novak has had an injection after being diagnosed with tendonitis, and needs a period of rest before he can resume training.
The problem has ruled the 21-year-old out of both friendlies so far – Town won 5-0 at AFC Emley on Friday, and last night won 3-0 at Bradford Park Avenue.
But Clark, who takes a team to Avenue’s Evo-Stik (Northern Premier) League Premier Division rivals Frickley Athletic tonight (7.30) before Town visit League II Bury on Saturday, is backing Novak to bounce back quickly.
"We’re currently allowing the injection to take effect, and Lee is being monitored closely. Hopefully the problem will settle down and be sorted out within a couple of weeks, allowing him to get in some work before the season starts," he said.
It’s believed Howard, a Town target during the January transfer window, was close to sealing a switch to the Galpharm before Leicester lost manager Nigel Pearson to Hull late last month.
Sources in the East Midlands suggest new Foxes boss Paulo Sousa is willing to let the 34-year-old leave a year before the end of his contract, and that Town have made contact.
Howard, linked with Cardiff earlier this close-season, struggled to nail down a regular starting spot at Leicester last term.
But having mainly been used as an impact substitute, the rugged Geordie was brought back for the play-off semi-final clashes with Cardiff.
Durham-born and capped by Scotland at B level, he has bagged 199 goals in a career which began at Hartlepool and has also taken in Northampton, Luton and Derby.
Clark said: "As I’ve said before, Steve Howard is someone we know all about and have kept tabs on for a long time, but he’s still a Leicester player, and as such, it would be disrespectful to comment further."
