Wolves gear up for January sales

Wolves are drawing up their list of targets for the January transfer window - but it's unlikely to include Molineux favourites Joleon Lescott and Robbie Keane.

Boss Mick McCarthy has earmarked a right-sided centre-back as the main priority next month after being given the go-ahead by chairman Steve Morgan to pursue fresh blood to prop up the club's survival bid.

Sources say Wolves have made tentative enquiries to find out Lescott's situation at Manchester City.

But although it is understood the England international would be open to the prospect of rejoining Wolves, his £90,000-a-week wages and the fact McCarthy wants a right-sided central defender — Lescott is predominantly left-sided — would appear to make a romantic loan return of the City stopper unlikely.

Wolves are scouring the Premier League squad lists to recruit top-flight experience to fill a key position that has proved the most difficult one for McCarthy.

"Mick wants a right-sided centre-half and we're exploring every avenue to get one in next month," said chief executive Jez Moxey.

The prospect of Keane returning to the club where he started his career look as remote as ever.

Although he has been put up for sale by Tottenham, Wolves couldn't guarantee the 30-year-old the first team football he craves with £7m Steven Fletcher unable to get a game and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake on the bench with McCarthy preferring his 4-5-1 formation.

Keane's £65,000-a-week wages would also be a costly gamble, but not so for Villa or Fulham, who have also been linked.

Wolves legend Steve Bull believes the economics wouldn't accommodate a return for Lescott and Keane.

"It would be nice to see them back here, but it's not just about Joleon Lescott and Robbie Keane," said Bully, now a club vice-president. "There are loads of other players out there of the same stature but on half as much money.

"It's about picking and choosing the right ones and it's down to Mick's judgement on which players come in and which ones don't. I think he's been looking for the last six to eight weeks."