Elokobi will start the season

Manager Mick McCarthy has revealed George Elokobi is a "racing certainty" to start the season for Wolves.

The Cameroon-born left-back has cut an impressive figure so far, in a pre-season where he has emerged as a contender at centre-half.

Elokobi was the only outfield player not to figure in Saturday's final friendly of the Scottish tour, as Wolves beat Kilmarnock 3-0.

McCarthy wanted to give Daniel Jones and Ian Harte more match time and has no doubts about Elokobi.

He said: "George is a racing certainty, I have no worries about him. He'll be starting the season.

"There's absolutely no problem with him at all, I just wanted to give Ian Harte 15 minutes. He came back as fit as he left, so 20 minutes wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to him."

Elokobi is seen as a shoe-in as first-choice left-back but McCarthy is also confident the 22-year-old can operate at centre-half, after previously stating his preference for a left-footer in that position.

McCarthy also hinted at a bigger role for keeper Carl Ikeme.

Ikeme played the full 90 minutes at Kilmarnock after previously sharing the goalkeeping duties with Wayne Hennessey, pulling off a couple of impressive saves.

McCarthy is expecting Ikeme to challenge Hennessey and Matt Murray, as the latter continues to make progress from his knee injury.