Recalled Jordan Graham desperate to start at Blues

The 20-year-old has been talked about as a potential first-team star at Molineux for months, but is yet to make his senior debut for Wolves.

Right-footed Graham, who can play on either flank, recently impressed during a loan stint at Oxford United.

With Rajiv van La Parra sidelined with a knee injury, Graham has been recalled from the League Two side and could be thrust into the spotlight with a Wolves debut in a West Midlands derby. Kenny Jackett said Graham offered Wolves a different creative outlet.

"He's in with a shout of playing," the Wolves boss said. "I'm looking forward to working with him again."

"The five games he's had at Oxford will stand him in

good stead, give him match practice, experience and for us him coming back now will be another option, and creatively, someone we'll be looking to go past people, create and score goals."

Jackett said the staff at Oxford has spoken highly of the youngster, who now potentially has the opportunity to force his way into the Wolves first team, with no-one having yet claimed the left-wing spot for their own this season.

"They were very impressed with him both as a player and as a person," Jackett said.

"He had a really good effect on their season and he comes back to us as a creative player with good game time under his belt and going into our games wanting to establish himself now in the Championship, with, at 20 years old, every effort and ambition to try and make the step up."

While with Villa, Graham had spent unsuccessful loan spells at Bradford City and Ipswich Town.

Now, with some belated league action under his belt, the player is hoping to kick off at Wolves.

After some impressive performances for the under-21 team last season it seemed he was set to be a part of Jackett's first-team squad at the start of the current campaign.

But he was surprisingly snubbed for the pre-season tour to France and, despite a goal and a bright showing in Wolves' final friendly, a 4-3 win over Doncaster, he has yet to even feature on the bench under Jackett.

That looks set to change tomorrow and Graham hopes to take his chance.

He said: "I felt I did ok in pre-season and then carried it on with the Under-21s which got me the loan opportunity.

"Hopefully that has all contributed to me coming back and having a chance here now.

"Whether it is this weekend, or it's next Tuesday or next weekend I just have to be ready to take it.

"When I get time on the pitch I am looking to do the most that I can whether it is 90 minutes or 20 minutes from the bench.

"The fans at Oxford seemed to take to me really well.

"I think they liked the way I tried to play, getting crosses in and shots off when I could.

"I was happy to stay on there as I was playing week-in week-out and enjoying it and I had obviously had the loan extended.

"But the bigger picture was always going to be to try and impress and then come back to Wolves and the gaffer felt this was the right time."

Oxford boss Michael Appleton is already eyeing up a return to the U's for Graham, should he not feature regularly for Wolves.

He said: "The conversations I've had with Wolves have been very positive, but more importantly the talks with Graham have been as well.

"He loved the place and from what he's saying he would love the opportunity to come back, if for whatever reason it wasn't quite happening for him at Wolves."