Lewis Grabban went AWOL from Norwich's team hotel after Canaries manager Alex Neil told him he was a substitute for their Capital One Cup tie with Rotherham.

The forward, who is desperate to return to Bournemouth before the transfer window closes, fled the hotel without telling team-mates or the manager that he was leaving.

Bournemouth submitted a third formal offer to Norwich chief executive David McNally for £5.2million on Tuesday morning, with £1m in incentives if Eddie Howe's team remain in the Barclays Premier League.

Norwich City striker Lewis Grabban has gone AWOL as he is hoping to seal a move back to Bournemouth

Grabban's last appearance for Norwich came in their 3-1 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light

Grabban, 27, attempted to call Neil at 3.45pm to tell the manager that he wanted to drive through the move back to the south coast, but Norwich's manager did not take his call.

Half an hour later, at 4.15pm, the players met for a team meeting and realised that Grabban had disappeared when his name was called out.

Despite a search for the striker, who was in the squad for the clash at the New York Stadium, he could not be found anywhere in Rotherham.

The 27-year-old former Bournemouth man played a key role in Norwich's promotion to the Premier League

Instead he had taken himself to the train station and is still heading south because he no longer wants to play for the club.

The forward is also furious that he was taken to Rotherham for the Cup tie and then told that he would not even start the game against Steve Evans' team.

Grabban is wanted by his former club and has made it clear that he wants to quit Carrow Road before the window closes.

Grabban (pictured with Steven Gerrard during his time at Bournemouth) wants to return to the Cherries

Grabban's walk-out met with an unflappable response from his manager.

'We've flatly rejected three bids from Bournemouth which are nowhere near our valuation,' said Canaries boss Alex Neil.

'Until there is anything acceptable he's a Norwich player.'

Neil refused to comment on the reason for Grabban's non-appearance but there was a strong hint it will be a disciplinary matter.

He said: 'Anything behind closed doors will be dealt with behind closed doors.

'He's a Norwich City player.'