Kenny Jackett: Out-of-favour players won't stop Wolves from signing new additions
Wolves were today playing a waiting game to see if West Ham want to buy Roger Johnson after the announcement that manager Sam Allardyce was staying.
Johnson's future is unclear with his loan expired but the Hammers' decision to keep faith with Dudley-born Allardyce yesterday has sparked fresh hope from inside Molineux that they may decide to make the 31-year-old a permanent signing.
Johnson made only six appearances for the Hammers after arriving on loan from Sheffield Wednesday in January, the last of them on March 31.
But with only a year left on his contract, it's understood Wolves may accept as little as £1m for the centre-back who cost them £4m three years ago, and he could represent a cut-price squad signing for Allardyce.
However, they could face competition from Hillsborough, where Johnson impressed in 17 appearances on loan earlier in the season.
Wednesday boss Stuart Gray has already confirmed Johnson is one of several options he is looking at after releasing three experienced centre-halves.
Either way, Wolves head coach Kenny Jackett today reassured fans their ability to move on their returning outcasts will not affect his squad strengthening.
"I don't think it will affect my or our drive to be successful, definitely," said Jackett.
"It's never been said to me 'we need to get rid of these before we bring these in' – that's not going to be the case.
"No one at the club has said that (finding returning loanees clubs) is going to hold us back.
"If we could sign good players tomorrow, we would, if it was possible to do it early that would be great.
"The challenge is to sign good players but improving the squad."
Kevin Doyle will return to Wolves after Saturday's Championship play-off final for QPR, where he has been on loan since the end of January, against Derby at Wembley.
Stephen Ward has already indicated his willingness to extend his stay at managerless Brighton after a successful season-long agreement came to an end earlier this month.
Kevin Foley (Blackpool) will be fit for the start of pre-season as he recovers from a shoulder operation, while Tongo Doumbia (Valenciennes) and Razak Boukari (Sochaux) are due back and FC Copenhagen boss Stale Solbakenn confirmed Georg Margreitter will return to Wolves after they failed to reach agreement on keeping him.
