Stefan Maierhofer joins Duisburg

Wolves today closed a chapter on a nightmare when Stefan Maierhofer joined Duisburg on a season-long loan.

The 27-year-old jetted out today to resurrect his career with the German second division club with a move likely to become permanent if he impresses.

Duisburg, whose Croatian coach Milan Sasic used to manage Maierhofer at Koblenz, have been linked with the 6ft 8ins forward for several weeks but they had been unable to strike agreement on a deal.

But a settlement has been reached and Wolves can shut the door on one of their worst signings of the Mick McCarthy era.

Maierhofer cost £1.8million a year ago this month but found first team opportunities hard to come by.

Although he scored on his debut as a late substitute in a 3-1 defeat to Blackburn last September, that was one of only nine senior appearances and he started just once – the controversial 3-0 defeat at Manchester United in December.

That hour at Old Trafford turned out to be his last game for the club.

After suffering a hernia, he was shipped out on loan to Bristol City, where he started once and came on in two other matches, including an eight-minute stint in goal in a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest after goalkeeper Dean Gerken broke his collarbone.

And on his return to Molineux, he found chances just as hard to come by.

His cause wasn't helped by quotes attributed to him criticising both McCarthy's selection and his fellow Wolves strikers, while he was sent off at Everton.

After missing the start of pre-season with a virus, Maierhofer has only played one friendly – a development game at Newport - and missed the two games at the weekend after flying back to Austria because his grandfather suffered a heart attack.

The breakthrough on Maierhofer comes as another Wolves striker was linked with a loan move.

A report today claimed Sam Vokes was on his way to Crystal Palace, but Wolves have denied any interest.

McCarthy has been told he has to lose two strikers off the wage bill to offset the arrival of £7million record buy Steven Fletcher and it was widely thought Andy Keogh would be the other to leave.