Collins gone as Wolves look to sign

Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey returned to his desk revealing bids have been made for permanent signings as Neill Collins completed his move to Preston.

But Moxey, who has been abroad on a working holiday, denied making an offer for Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson after a report said the club were weighing up a £3million bid.

McCarthy is a long term admirer of Johnson and it's understood Wolves have talked about the possibility of bringing in the 22-year-old, who has scored 10 goals this season.

But Wolves face strong competition from more established Premier League clubs and are playing a waiting game for the left-sided midfielder, who is out of contract in the summer.

Moxey wouldn't disclose whether the club have bid for their other confirmed targets, Villa midfielder Craig Gardner and Sheffield United centre-back Matthew Kilgallon.

But the Molineux supremo has kicked off negotiations and is hopeful of a couple of additions before the transfer window shuts on February 2.

He said: "We have made one or two bids for permanent signings and started the process to hopefully add a couple of players. We're always hopeful, but it's never easy and there's nothing doing at the moment because nothing is straightforward on any deal and everyone has to be patient.

"We will not divulge targets, but after consultation with Mick, I've made a number of enquiries over the last week and we would hope to try to bring in one or two players. We've made some bids and we hope we can add Premier League experience."

Collins' permanent transfer will net Wolves around £750,000. They paid Sunderland around £200,000 with add-ons for the 26-year-old, who joined Wolves on a permanent basis three years ago today.

The Scot has signed a three-and-a-half year deal at Deepdale.