Michael Gray has been hailed as a ‘fantastic leader’ by Wolves boss Mick McCarthy as he looks for the left-back to sign a new contract.

The former Sunderland player will play for Wolves at Wrexham today as a free agent after his contract ran out on June 30.

Gray turns 34 next month and as such is one of the few to break the ‘young and hungry’ profile the hierarchy want at Molineux to take the club forward.

But McCarthy hopes to persuade the ex-Blackburn utility man to sign a new one-year deal in the near future.

“There are no developments yet. We’re waiting to speak to his agent, but nothing’s changed in that we’d be delighted to have him around the place,” said the Wolves boss.

“He’s a fantastic leader and character around the place and still a very good player.

“I haven’t really had the opportunity to have a word with him in my office.

“But he has come back here to train so I think he wants to be here.”

McCarthy has also hailed the attitude and fitness of the three-capped England international, and the Molineux chief believes Gray sets the perfect example for his younger team-mates.

“What we tend to forget is that he’s only eight weeks older than when he left here at the end of the season,” added McCarthy.

“He was flying around like a kid last season and he’s come back as fit as ever, so I’d like to keep him.”

If Gray signs, he will have a chance of joining the 500 club next season as he ended last campaign on 483 League appearances.

Wolves’ only other thirty-something is Gray’s former Sunderland team-mate Jody Craddock, who signed for another 12 months earlier this summer for a sixth season at Wolves.