Sam Ricketts on way to Wolves for a medical

Wolves were today on the verge of sealing their first signing of the Kenny Jackett era with the arrival of Bolton's Sam Ricketts.

The 31-year-old full-back has been cleared to join the Molineux ranks after the clubs agreed an undisclosed but modest six-figure for his services.

Ricketts is having a medical at Compton today while smoothing out the last few contractual details.

Jackett told the Express & Star: "If all goes well today I will be delighted that Sam will be my first signing as head coach of Wolves.

"Sam can fill any of the back four positions and brings a wealth of experience and quality to our club.

"Professionally he is a first-class individual and I am looking forward to working with him again."

The way for Ricketts was cleared to be reunited with Jackett came with Bolton finally sealing the capture of Blackpool right back Alex Baptiste.

Baptiste had signed a pre-contract agreement at the Reebok Stadium but then had his head turned by a more lucrative offer from Premier League new-boys Crystal Palace.

Bolton manager Dougie Freedman added: "Sam's been a very good servant for this football club but I can't, honestly, sit here and guarantee him a position in the team."

Ricketts will add vital experience and has to be a captaincy contender to what is currently a youthful Wolves squad.

It has been thinned by the exit of senior players such as Christophe Berra, Stephen Hunt, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Adam Hammill and the exclusion of Roger Johnson, Stephen Ward, Karl Henry and Jamie O'Hara.

A regular Wales international who has spent the last two years at right back but is equally at home on the left, he has played in all five tiers of the professional game.

And he is something of a late developer after Jackett gave him his chance at the age of 23 at Swansea – then in League Two – after snapping him up from Telford United in the Conference in 2004.

That followed a loan spell with Nuneaton from Oxford United, where the Aylesbury-born defender started his career in the fourth tier, making his debut in October 2000.

Since then he has reeled off 458 appearances in all competitions. But prior to now he is most known to Wolves fans for his stunning 20-yard opener for Bolton at the Reebok Stadium on New Year's Eve 2011.

That came on his comeback from a 10-month lay-off with an Achilles injury.