Wolves in talks on Fletcher bid

Wolves and Sunderland were today locked in talks over the sale of Steven Fletcher – but Molineux officials denied accepting a £12m bid for the player.

The rumour mill went into overdrive last night with suggestions that an offer from the Black Cats for Fletcher had been approved by the Molineux board.

A second serious bid, believed to be £10m plus £2m guaranteed on appearances, is understood to have been submitted from the Stadium of Light.

But despite it finally bringing the clubs to the negotiating table, the offer has been turned down by Wolves.

However, negotiations are continuing at senior level between the clubs as manager Stale Solbakken returned to Compton today after another scouting mission at the weekend.

“Rumours that we have accepted a bid from Sunderland are incorrect,” Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey told the Express & Star.

“They want the player, but we haven’t accepted anything.”

Villa are waiting in the wings as boss Paul Lambert is a big admirer of Fletcher, but there is no confirmation of radio reports last night of a £13m bid from Villa Park for the 25-year-old.

One deal which should go through today is the £3m sale of Michael Kightly to Stoke. The 26-year-old winger is understood to have agreed personal terms at the Britannia Stadium and was due to undergo a medical in the Potteries today.

Kightly’s sale should trigger the signing of the man being hired as his replacement, Poland international midfielder Slawomir Peszko on a season-long loan from Cologne.

The 27-year-old former Lech Poznan wideman underwent a medical on Monday after arriving on Saturday following agreement between the clubs.

Providing Kightly’s sale goes through, Peszko should sign and be included on the official annual team photocall, which is being taken at Molineux tomorrow afternoon. But it remains to be seen who else will be on it, with Fletcher and Matt Jarvis expected to go before the transfer window closes on September 3.