Wolves sign midfielder Tongo Doumbia on loan

Wolves today announced the loan signing of Rennes midfielder Tongo Doumbia.

The 22-year-old Mali international has joined the club on a season-long with a view to a permanent move after completing a medical on Friday and Saturday and training with the squad at Compton yesterday.

French-born Doumbia, a powerful defensive midfielder, was recently close to joining West Bromwich Albion after reports that he had rejected a move to Arsenal.

But that move to the West Midlands broke down after Albion signed Claudio Yacob instead.

At 6ft 3ins tall, Doumbia has a powerful presence and was booked seven times in 25 games as Rennes finished sixth in Ligue One last season.

Doumbia, whose playing style has been likened to Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira, has been a regular for Rennes for two seasons, having played 19 Ligue One games in 2010-11.

"Tongo will bring some more quality," said boss Ståle Solbakken.

"He also has good experience for a young player and made 26 appearances last season for a top-six club in France.

"He's a box-to-box player who can operate in that central role defensively and offensively, and, as well as being physically strong, he is also good in possession.

"There's a chance he'll be involved against Shrewsbury."

Fellow French speakers Ronald Zubar and Steven Mouyokolo will make Doumbia feel at home.

He said: "I'm really looking forward to playing for the fans and the manager.

"I want to help the team as much as I can as we aim for promotion.

"There were other clubs interested I had a good feeling about Wolves as soon as I spoke to the manager.

"He told me personally about his plans for me which was good to hear.

"I have a lot of friends playing in Europe who knew about the manager and one of my team-mates at Rennes - Alexander Tettey - is a Norwegian international.

"They all spoke highly of him and when you have that good feeling about a manager it's important.

"I know Steven Mouyokolo very well and I'm sure he'll help me settle in.

"I like to get from box to box but I also like to move forward and try to score goals.

"I'm also a strong player and like to battle as well and will give everything I have for the Wolves shirt.

"It's up to the manager but I think I'm ready to play tomorrow."

George Elokobi suffered a hamstring injury in Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Walsall and is almost certainly out of tomorrow's first-team friendly at Shrewsbury.