Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has admitted he refused to rejoin the chase to sign Scott Sinclair because he couldn’t guarantee him a place.

The 19-year-old Chelsea wide man has just signed for Birmingham but was a long-term target of the Wolves boss, who admitted a few weeks ago that he wanted to sign Sinclair.

But McCarthy admits the youngster would not get in his side at the moment.

The manager said: “We’d be taking a player from Chelsea who wouldn’t get in the team straight away. He wouldn’t dislodge Michael Kightly and Matt Jarvis, so by bringing him and not playing him, we’re back to the Michael Mancienne situation.

“They don’t want him on the bench at Chelsea – they want him playing football. Circumstances dictated that they needed another player – fine.

“But they don’t loan players out to go and sit on someone else’s bench. Don’t doubt for one minute – Alex hasn’t guaranteed him a place.

“He’s one I would have liked but I haven’t been back in for him, because Jarvis and Kightly are fit. I can’t see anyone dislodging them out of the team. So I didn’t go back in for him.

“We’re looking to strengthen if we can, but sometimes you have to remind yourself where we are and the players who have got us there.”