Ex-Celtic man Mulgrew is on standby to step in for ever-present Clapham if he fails to recover in time for the Elland Road contest.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy, who also has concerns over striker Carl Cort after he missed training this week through illness, is confident Mulgrew would prove an adequate replacement for Clapham.

“Jamie Clapham is a doubt with a little bit of a groin strain we’ll just have to see, but Charlie Mulgrew will be in the squad and is there if we need him,” said McCarthy.

“Jay Bothroyd is also back in contention. He was back in full training this week and he has been fine.”

“Apart from that we have pretty much the full squad that played two weeks ago.”

Mulgrew, 21, was an assured presence in the midweek friendly against Coventry.

He played the first half at left-back before moving into the centre to play alongside club skipper Jody Craddock.

Striker Bothroyd, who made a successful return to full training this week, could step in for Cort.

The ex-Newcastle striker was back at the training ground today, but missed two days through illness and may not be able to play in all of the three games in six days which Wolves face next week.

Meanwhile, McCarthy revealed Leeds will pose the biggest threat of any of the teams his Wolves side have faced so far.

He said: “It is the hardest test so far. I looked at this game at the start of the season as one of the difficult ones.

“Elland Road is always a tough place to go, but it is the kind of place you should enjoy playing at.”

McCarthy also revealed that he was a Leeds fan as a boy and grew up watching the famous Whites team of the 60′s.

He said: “I was a Leeds fan. I remember the heady days of Giles, Hunter, Bremner, Clarke and Eddie Gray, they were a fantastic team.”