Wolves will have to splash out £1.75m for Peterborough striker Aaron McLean but the player is believed to be keen on the switch.
Watford and Sheffield United have joined the chase for the 25-year-old but McLean is believed to favour a move to Wolves.
The Molineux club are believed to have prepared a third bid of £1.5m to tempt Posh. It is understood they will have to go higher to get their man.
It’s understood Peterborough’s top brass have held talks with McLean and told him he can go at the right price, edging the deal towards conclusion.
McLean has made his choice, having been impressed by Molineux when watching his old Grays team-mate Michael Kightly during several visits.
Kyle Lafferty’s completed move to Rangers from Burnley for £3.25m plus add-ons has left Wolves open to pursue their main target.
All that remains now is for Wolves to meet the asking price from Posh, which may yet see them throw in a player as a makeweight.
While chief executive Jez Moxey is striving to get the very best value for money, the fee is not thought to be a problem for Wolves.
Owner-chairman Steve Morgan has provided funds for boss Mick McCarthy to make another promotion tilt this summer.
The arrival of McLean will leave Wolves with eight strikers, but the club remain hopeful of offloading three of them – transfer-listed trio Freddy Eastwood, Stephen Elliott and Jay Bothroyd.
Eastwood is still wanted by Coventry, providing they can reach agreement on a fee.
Elliott was offered as a makeweight in the proposed deal for Lafferty, while Bothroyd has attracted interest from Premier League new boys Stoke, Nottingham Forest and Cardiff.
McCarthy admits he has encountered plenty of competition for his targets so far.
He said: “We are all making calls and there will always be interest in other players because you want to make your side better.”
“We are all fishing in a very small pool as well. You ring about someone and you find all the teams similar to us will have been having a look.”
83 Comments
Don’t really know anything about this guy but if he is what MM wants then we need to stop messing around and do the deal. If not we face going into the new season with very little change to the team. We also need to pursue Berra and get that deal sorted as well. One more central defender after that and maybe a midfield ‘general’ and I think we’d be sorted. We cannot afford to dither now.
Hmmm, rate the guy but not sure we really need him. I guess £1.75 million aint bad!
If it’s only another £275K, surely that is worth a punt. He scored 33 goals last season, and is quick, strong, and good in the air for 5′9″ tall. He already knows how Kights plays, so he has to be worth £1.75M.
We could Chuck in Elliott on loan as an incentive. Playing at that level could be a confidence booster for Elliott, and help him fully recover after his injuries of last season. If he does well there, let Posh have the opportunity to buy him as a replacement for McLean.
Definately a better signing than Lafferty, was never sure about him over-rated? over-priced? one of his reasons for wanting to leave burnley was a section of the crowd were very negative towards him in games!!!! what did he expect at the mol or rangers for tht matter! good luck to him! But McLean, young, hungry, confident, wants to be here aswellunlike lafferty who was going to the highest bidder! come on now mick get Berra sign and sealed!
Filton, if we can get Davies fit, we already have a midfield general. Oli on his day is also that. Watching Edwards last season I believe he will also be that.
I agree totally about the CB’s.
Agree with 1, we were prepared to offer 1.5 so just pay the extra quarter of a mil, and move on before we lose out
Class player! Much better than lafferty would be!
He is the missing piece to the jigsaw. We will now easily win the CCC & the FA Cup. Next year will have gates of 50,000 in our new stadium which will mean that we win the premiership, the following year we will be European Champions which will signal our assault on world football for the foreseeable future….. either that or you will have let us down (again).
great deal this would be and cheaper than thought we had to go (2.5m i thought)
if we are serious about him pay it now and get in done by early next week.
i cant help but think watford or sheffutd will pinch him though. lets face it! it always happens
1. I agree stop pussyfooting around and get the deals done. MM may have to re think his tactics without a tall target man as striker, Kightly and Jarvis will need to alter their tactics on crossing into the box for heading home.
We certainly nned to couple of cenral defenders to tighten up the defence - MM - REMEMBER A CLEAN SHEET AND YOU WILL GET AT LEAST A POINT and with decent strikers you will get all three points!!!
Problem is Filton. The player and selling club deliberatly hold out for a better offer form other clubs. You cant just go throwing £5 million at everyone, we will be broke. It takes time and Moxey is king at getting the best deal for Wolves.
As Mick has previously said, it’s like spinning plates at this point in the season - no team has been particularly active in the transfer market yet (well unless you count Derby, who have brought in the likes of Ellington, Jordan Stewart and Commons as part of their ’summer revolution’ - lol!) but I think we will see things take off over the next few weeks. Aaron McLean is a proven striker at lower division level (just like Eastwood) and started his career at Grays before moving to another club and winning promotion (again, like Eastwood). However, where Aaron differs from Freddy is that he does not have an attitude problem and will be a willing squad member without shooting his mouth off every five minutes. I sincerely hope we sign him as he would be a great addition to our squad.
As Filton points out, a couple of centre-halves and someone who can boss the midfield (Thomas Gravesen perhaps?) and I think we will be there or thereabouts.
Not trying to stir it but he was awful in both cup games against us last season !
Stop dithering and buy him if he’s the man. then lets concentrate on defence and midfield. £250K is going to make no difference to Wolves over time,if he’s as good as MM thinks then his value will go up aka SEB or Kightly
If he signs let’s hope he can put a “shift in” because we all know how MM treats proven goalscorers who don’t comply!!
HAVE U SEEN HIS GOAL RECORD!?! HE CERTAINLY KNOWS WHERE THE NET IS!!
THE STEP UP WILL BE HARD,BUT GOALSCORING ISNT PART OF THE STEP UP!
GET HIM IN! SEND THAT STEPHEN BILLY ELLIOT THE OTHER WAY!!
Aged 25, i thought he was younger, a lot of money for someone who is unproven at Championship level.
Especially as rumour has it Freddy can go for 1.25million, doesnt quite add up does it?
would be a gd signing brings experince he is 25 quick and would be great partner for ebanks-blake
Hopefully a good move, so many lower league strikers have come up to this level and blitzed this league (granted a fair few have failed) but we never seem to be the club that takes the plunge with a recognised striking prospect. Now with Vokes and hopefully Mclean we may buck that trend and bring on some real stars!
Hey may be a great signing or he may be a real lemon but there really is only one way to find out! Seems to fit the mould anyway!
Come on me babbies!
5..Davies is never going to be fit, until he can walk past a pub!
Wow! £1.75 million for a guy who hasn’t played higher than League 2! This isn’t a youngster like Vokes (who shows real promise and is still only 18- not to mention costing a fraction of the fee) but a 25 year old with lots of experience, all non-league and league 2.
It’s a big step up to the Championship, I hope this guy can make it if we do buy him. I fear we could be throwing a lot of money at someone who will end up on the transfer list for a more realistic £250k in 12 months.
Hope I’m wrong but with MM’s record on strikers I’m probably not!
16. DUNGLE TIL 1 DIE.
WASN’T FREDDIES GOALSCORING RECORD GOOD? HE KNEW WHERE THE NET WAS UNTIL HE WENT TO WULFS.
We need 2 good centre backs and at least 1 QUALITY CENTRAL MIDFIELDER otherwise he may well play all 8 strikers at once !
Oh sorry I don’t understand MM’s job its so complex only he can understand it…..
erm as he signed now if not we have the price so match it, its only an extra 250k and its 500k-750k less than what they offered for laughter-ty??? he is a priority signing in my eyes! go get him before we miss out like albion have done with mccourt lol
Totally unimpressed with news that McCarthy is willing to pay £1.75m for player he scouted when he was at Grays. He was then available for £150k, and was not considered good enough. Again, another example of bad management.
Breretonwolf. I agree Davies could fill the role in mid field if fit. We just need Berra and A.N.Other and I think we are done. McClean would be a good replacement for SEB if he isn’t available due to injury or internment. I also think we need to off load the transfer listed players to keep control of the wage bill.
Just hope that we dont waste a great deal of money on strikers when we clearly are desperate for some decent centre halfs and a playmaker/ captain that can boss the midfield
NB* We have enough strikers at the club - why not give them Elliott and Potter plus some cash? (Or is Fergie Jnr smart enough to realise that these two are not good enough for the lower leagues never mind Championship)
Did this guy play for Grays with Kites?
Are there anymore gems at Grays?
With Wolves its always questions, questions with little or no answers!!!
centre back and creative midfield player required, Mark Davis can fit the midfield playmaker if he stays fit.
would hopefully shut the Grays chairman up for a while, he’ll get his sell on clause.
If we sign him we’ll have two not so main strikers plus vokes and keogh. Not a bad line up but it will challenge MM as he usually relies on a tall and short combination up front - he may have to play five in midfield (Denes Rosa anyone) with Keogh providing the link or even 3-5-1, MM is too one dimensional and predictable, hopefully he’ll do the job this season. Need a defence and an experienced midfielder. Not a lot of business going on at the moment, few teams have made any really decent signings. Hopefully Jez can get some good loans in if he can’t get permanent signings.
just spend the extra £0.25m and be done with it.
seems like a good lad with loads of potential.
now please can we concentrate on central defence?!
No more strikers, please!
Ebanks-Blake, Keogh, Ward, Vokes and Hughes… more than enough at this level. I just wanna see some new faces at center-back!
Get Berra in, play him next to Craddock (should be the captain) and perhaps some one to battle Collins for a place on the bench. Little for CB?
Re 21 - MM’s record with strikers? So Sylvan Ebanks-Blake’s scoring record for us last season was not good enough for you was it? And just because McLean has not played in the Championship does not mean he cannot cut it in the division - he played for (and excelled at) the same non-league club as Michael Kightly (and is a good friend of Kites as well) so if we do sign him, I’m sure he will do well for us. Keep positive!
defenders????
another one from the bargan basement!
Re 27 - if Keith Andrews can be a standout player in League 2 then I think that Darren Potter can more than hold his own in League 1.
just heard from my mate who works at wolves,our man from derby has just arrived for his medical!!
get him in. he knows where the goal is, ihez strong, pacey nd still fairly young at 25. extra 175k shouldnt b a problem. then when hearts get a manager, go for berra at 2-2.5 million. btw, rumoured that david jones is havin medical with us 2day. any thoughts?
1.5/1.75m for an unproven 25yo who has never played at this level seems like a gamble.
Would prefer to see Wolves split the difference between McCleans valuation and the bid for Lafferty with an investment in someone like Boyd from rangers - who may well be surplus to requirements with Laferty’s arrival (and Kenny Millers rumoured return).
2.7. How many times you seen him?? Just a question for all i know you may be a scout… I doubt it you prob just look at goals he scored in div3!!
I watched him twice and he is ok, raw but will not score above 15 in chumpionship… Plus if he doesn’t defend corners he’ll end up on the bench with freddie… BRILLIANT!!!
What if Mick signs him on a 3 or 4 year contract and he ‘does’nt fit in’.Are you REALLY sure this time Mick cos YOU wanted Freddy,Bothroyd,Elliot and co.We could have bought Fernando Torres with the amount ofmoney we’ve spent on strikers over the last few years.But then again would he put a shift in?? Best teams are built on solid defence,where’s ours?
I would rather buy someone proven at championship level or surplus from the premiership with a provan record. In my opinion this is the reason we didn’t improve last year.
I would be happier to spend 6 mill on 2 players a footballing centre half and a playmaker in midfied i dont think there is much wrong with the rest of the squad.
Why are we going mad to sign strikers, I would be more worried about our back line.
We need two quality central defenders with some pace.
What seems to be being overlooked here is that Mclean can play just behind out and out strikers just as well. This is how he and Kites played so well together at Grays. If the defenders missed one the other scored.
Up The Wolves
5. Brerton …..it’s a big IF about Davies though I agree he has the ability. However by midfield general I mean someone who can boss the midfield - a la Incey when he was with us. We need a hard man and I don’t think Oli is the man to do it.
11. Golden Blood….not advocating that we throw £5m at everyone. What I am saying is that we know how much we’re prepared to pay so why mess around and risk losing the player - just get the deal done. If the player’s club is holding out for more than we are prepared to pay then we have to walk away and look elsewhere.
39. JJ……sometimes you have to take the risk - nothing ventured - nothing gained - though I’m not advocating that we gamble on everyone !! The guy seems to know where the net is so why not give him a chance ? He’s hit the net far more than Lafferty and he’s a lot cheaper. I think it’s worth the risk. However we must get the defence sorted out pdq !!
Posh fan here.
He’s a smashing lad, honest, hardworking and always plays with a smile on his face. He’s superb in the air, awesome workrate and obviously has a good goalscoring record. Downsides are his 1st touch isn’t all that and unbelievably he misses more than he scores!
Other than that, you’re scouts must be awful! You refused McLean for £150k 18mths ago now you want to pay £1.75mPLUS! Not only that you’re now looking at McLean but you’re targetting the worst player out of our front 3 PMSL!!!
Cya
13) So was Luke Moore in the under 21’s at Molineux.
Sign him and stop dithering around. Next stop Berra and Jones and we are getting there!
46 Mattposh………..Please don’t burst our happiness bubble. We are about to get someone who actually scores and who will trouble defences. We now have three forwards who will physically upset defenders and two wide players who will upset them with skill and pace. But as yet nothing on defenders.
Expect a few 4 - 3 wins next season..
I remember a player, no real league experience, costing us money we didn’t really have & didn’t arrive at Molineux until the age of 24. He wasn’t the tallest or most skillful player ever to pull on an Old Gold Shirt & he went on to play for us for over 10 years, scoring 306 goals…
UP THE WOLVES!!!!
McCarthy, if McLean is the man you want, stop messing around and trying to negotiate a lesser fee for we all know what happens when any manager tries to do that! Bring him to Molineux and then get to work on buying 2 classy, big, strong and pacy central defenders!
You had all last season to do so and failed, are you seriously going to let the season begin and not buy any yet again?
Your head will be on the block if you don’t, so get moving!!!!
Can we buy a defender now!!!
I saw this guy at Harriers a while back, when Kightly played with him at Grays. He looked a cut above that level, easily.
Could definitely be worth a punt.
I really do think MM is concentrating on the wrong areas.We need 2 centre halves and a quality midfield player.
GregCooper - just quite how do you know that Mclean wouldn’t shout his mouth off if not played? And to be honest i don’t think Eastwood acted badly at all given the way he was treated…
Lets just hope Berra, Mclean, Jones all come in before pre season matchs and training start as thats the most important thing so they can learn how each other play. That way i wont feel like ive wasted another £450 on a season ticket like last year, It would also be nice to see more than 19,000 fans show up every week we have the best fans in this division by a mile so lets bring back the noise. GOT TO LOVE THAT SOUTH BANK WE ARE THE NOISE.
The club should not be letting MM sign another striker. The number of strikers he has signed has been ridiculous, and his success rate is 1 in 6 at the moment.
I agree with comment 14 - he will be joining Elliot, Eastwood and Bothroyd on the transfer list. Maybe we should rethink on that reserve team - there is the front 3 taken care of already!
Is MMc trying to field of 11 strikers. We need to strengthen in Centre Midfield & Central Defence.
In Paul Ince we BELIEVED, In Mick MMcarthy we simply DON’T ;-(
I’m all for paying the extra dosh to get McLean in, but look what Izale McLeod has done at Charlton, absolutely nothing. Similar player and going up a level (or 2) proved to be beyond his talents.
Champtionship defences are much tougher to crack than Div 2.
I would still like the focus to be the centre of defence.
reminds me of that Mccleod lad from Leicester.
scored for fun with the Dons went to the Foxes and did nothing at all. 1.75m is a lot for a 25 yrs old lad from League2.
spot on wbabomber. You ask anyone who;s gonna score more goals in the champs next season - Eastwood or Mclean.? So shelling out half a mil more for him. Cant see it .
If we are hopig to be in the prem this time next year, we should seriously be looking at discgrutnled players from said league. not minnows who almost certainyl wont be ready fro the challenge in 12 months time.
Im seriously hoping the Berra deal, and one or two more at the back come in soon. Im quietly optimistic, but not deluding myself that we will be promotion favourites come August. Top 6 will be an acheievemtn unless something quite extraordinary happens in the close.
COME ON YOU WOLVES.
55 some of your fans think that you lot are a big club, then you say you would like to see more than 19,000 each game, yes really big club,
Derby Forest Shef U & W Ipswich Norwich will all get bigger crowds than you, so admit it you are a Middle CCC club and you are all happy with it, so live with it, keep signing young lads to blood for us Prem Clubs.
The man is mad we need strong defenders and Mid field strong player may be Campo as captain or Gravesen
MM. philosophy …The best form of defence is attack…Hence 8 centre forwards. Keep the ball in their half, and make sure that they put a shift in. When they are Knackered.. we give the ball to SEB! GAME OVER.
61) I forgot you will be a sell out every week now that you are in the Premiership.
Yours and Stoke’s attendances were very poor considering you both went up!
64,ROB,your attendances where very good being as you daint make the play offs aye boing boing in MOORE WE TRUST
before you get to excited,remember the free scoring mk dons striker who went into the championship,whatever happened to him,aye boing boing in MOORE WE TRUST
64 yes but we along with stoke and Hull did go up,
and you are still and always will be in your CCC league. Never mind in MM we trust. What great players are you not going trying to sign today. Moxey needs your ST sales, down on most years, however after the crap you lot watched last year I would not be suprised.
(49) yes i remember when a certain S.B. arrived - he put so many shots over the bar and passed the posts BUT REMEMBER what he became. as they say if you don’t buy a ticket…… Also lets get Gravesen in whatever the cost - he’d do the job in midfield we missed since Ince & Rae
64 how many games did you lot sell out last year
48,e11wilf,i bet you,l lose more 4-3 aye boing boing up the MOWBURY WAY
he’s a snip at £1.75m
sign him up
Baggy 1 & Brummie Rob Wolves - how long are you two going to go on having the most tedious of tedious arguments : our crowds are bigger than yours, we’re a bigger claub than you blah blah blah. who really cares ?
where did this 19,000 fans come from? i dont think we had a gate that low apart from the cup game, you sure your not on the scruffs(wba)? our average was 24,000+
All the signings seem good ones at the moment but please MM how about the defence now.
55 & 61 - where do you get 19,000 from? our average was 24,500 & considering home fans only get 25k or 26k seats on a matchday then its not bad. also how many clubs brought more than 1k to molineux last year a handfull if that. we all know the support we can attract if we get the footballing side right end of.
Why dont they throw in ward collins and elliot as well that will lower the wage bill.
We’ve worked it out - Anyone seen the Burgerking advert? MM has been working on his new “6 pack” tactic - 6 strikers challenging for every pass cross and corner - they run around together in a group of 6 just like the advert - sheer genius MM
got to say that if we keep dithering we are going to miss out yet again. We were willing to spend more n lose players in the Lafferty deal & from what I’ve seen of McClean & heard then its a must. I know Lafferty showed his metal in a division higher but their records for last season are very close & the way Keogh & Kightly have settled in shows that MM & the backroom boys seem to have an eye.
Get the extra £250.000 sorted n recoup that through deals for Bothroyd, Elliot n Eastwood..players which we would have offered in other deals.
I’m sure Jones from Derby would be looking to see who signs who & capturing a young, eager player would wet his appetite for Our club I’m sure.
Got every faith in the club & board..I’m sure the players needed for a promotion push will be signing soon..lets just ensure these are players who want to wear the shirt with pride..as do 99.9% of Our fans.
The futures bright…the futures ORANGE…n Black
Terry,
I’m 1 for a laugh like the next person..but got to say mate, youre as boring as that small team you support. Just concentrate on whats happening to youre club mate & the host of signings you have….erm…well..erm…well..erm….
Better tell Moanalot to get the chequebook out n quick..but hey, he’d need a hypnotist to get a decent player in at the smallthorns for the forthcoming seaon…no one with any sense is gonna want to sign for you lot, pull on a ridiculous looking strip, play at an old dive like the smallthorns n get walloped every week….
Like I say, I like a laugh as much as the next guy….I think Match Of The Day will be such a comedy next season…the the boggies being the comedians…….
the futures bright..the futures ORANGE…n Black….hey, ot even Black N Gold as the song goes…..
Whatever happened to getting an experienced veteran or two, to emulate the Ince effect when he joined us, and immediately took us up into the Premierships.
Just another example of McCarthy making it up as he goes along?
OUT OF THIS DARKNESS WILL COME LIGHT!
for all you wolves fans keep asking WHY are we signing strikers instead of defenders ,have a look at our goals for column last season.try opening your eyes and ears folks..please..
As a Baggie, this thread brings home that there’s not much difference between out fans. The comments on this story are almost carbon copies of the ones on our site about Majewski and Paddy (the next George Best/load of rubbish) McCourt. On here it’s all the fault of the chief exec, on ours the chairman, depending on who your bogey man is. ‘We should just go in and pay the asking price. We mess about too much etc etc.’ If only it was that easy. Just goes to show that under the different coloured shirts, we’re all brothers in arms. The downtrodden football fan, treated like s–t but can’t do without our fix. One day I’m going to try going cold turkey. Not just yet though, perhaps next season.
Re 33…
Yes, MM’s record on strikers. Just because SEB was a successful signing, it doesn’t make MM’s record on strikers good. Count them, Bothroyd, Elliott, Eastwood, Ward, Johnson and even Keogh. None of them has been a great success when it comes to goalscoring.
Come to think of it, MM’s signings haven’t all been the greatest. Fortunately a some have been superb. Buying Kightly for peanuts was inspired, as was buying Jarvis, Foley, Vokes and Dave Edwards for not much more than the asking price for McClean.
I’ve nothing against McLean, I just don’t believe that a 25 year old who’s biggest club has been Peterborough is worth this kind of fee.