The Canaries boss - who guided the Norfolk club to back-to-back promotions from League One - has been proactive as he goes about strengthening the squad with the arrival of strikers James Vaughan and Steve Morison.

Leeds midfielder Bradley Johnson is another said to be on the verge of a switch to Carrow Road, along with Brighton winger Elliott Bennett. Manchester United's Belgian defender Ritchie De Laet, who was on loan at Portsmouth last season, is another potential addition.

While Lambert has been promised all of the initial £37million income the club will receive for reaching the Premier League go towards building the playing staff, the Canaries manager insists the board will not be held to ransom.

"It is tough to get lads. Where does the money stop or where do you actually start? I think the prices are really inflated. The money at the minute for transfer fees is out of control at times," Lambert told talkSPORT.

"We can only do what we can do which I am totally at ease with.

"We will try to get lads to the football club that I think will go and compete with everybody else."

Lambert added: "We are close on a couple at the minute and we will try and get them in by the time we get the group back.

"By the time they come back altogether then they can get to know each other and hopefully integrate with the ones that are already there.

"We need half a dozen or so to come in and give us a hand."

Norwich dropped down to the third tier of English football following their relegation from the last Premier League adventure under Nigel Worthington in 2004/2005.

But for the continued support of majority shareholder Delia Smith, the Norfolk club could well have gone to the wall.

However, with £90million set to head into the Carrow Road coffers over the next few seasons, parachute payments guaranteed even after relegation, the long-term future looks much more positive.

"I am delighted we are there," said Lambert. "It has stabilised the club financially from the precarious position they were in a few years ago and it has lifted the whole city."

Norwich have, meanwhile, confirmed chief scout Ewan Chester will leave at the end of the summer transfer window.

Chester spent more than 20 years working in Scotland with Rangers, and also had a spell at Fulham, before joining the Canaries in May 2010.

The Norfolk club revealed Chester, 50, was leaving his post to "pursue another scouting position involving international recruitment" once the window closes on August 31.