Wolves swoop to sign Wigan Athletic striker Grant Holt on loan

The 34-year-old joins until January 2 and offers much-needed competition for Benik Afobe and Adam Le Fondre, Wolves' only two other senior strikers.

He follows hot on the heels of fellow loan signing Mike Williamson. And, like Williamson, Holt is available to make his debut in tomorrow's West Midlands derby against Birmingham City.

Boss Kenny Jackett and recruitment chief Kevin Thelwell have been chasing a striker ever since Nouha Dicko suffered a season-ending injury in August.

And they have finally found their man in experienced forward Holt.

Jackett said of the signing: "We are delighted to bring Grant to the club.

"He increases our options up front and in terms of recognised strikers we now have Afobe, Le Fondre and Grant Holt as a complement.

"Then for young Bright he can have more game time with the Under-21s.

"For Grant it is a chance and an opportunity back in the Championship which I am sure he will be determined to take.

"He will strengthen our front line and bring some competition and some experience which we have needed if you look at our games recently.

"Both Mike Williamson and Grant will help the group with their experience and their leadership."

The Carlisle-born striker hasn't started a game in 2015 owing to a serious knee injury.

He mounted his comeback earlier this month and has come off the bench in Wigan's last five matches.

Wolves become Holt's 10th professional club – and he currently has a record of 180 goals in 470 games in an eventful career.

Thelwell added: "Grant has been at a lot of clubs and there is a reason for that - he is a very good player.

"He has played in the Premier League and also at this level in the Championship and has done well.

"He is a down-to-earth lad with good experience and, as a different type of striker to what we have, will add competition for places.

"We are looking forward to working with him."

The 6ft striker began life in the non-leagues with Halfax and got his big break at Sheffield Wednesday in 2003.

A move to Rochdale followed a year later, where Holt scored a prolific 42 goals in 83 appearances.

After time at Nottingham Forest and Blackpool, Holt notched 20 goals for Shrewsbury Town in 2008/09, earning a move to Norwich City where he came a cult hero and a key part of the Paul Lambert team that won successive promotions.

Holt scored 30 goals in 2009/10 and then 24 the season after with the Canaries climbing from League One to the Premier League.

Holt notched 15 Premier League goals as Norwich comfortably survived, but only eight the season after with Lambert having left for Villa.

Wigan paid £2m to buy Holt to lead their Championship promotion campaign in 2013/14 but he struggled for form, scoring just twice before being loaned to Lambert's Villa, where he found the net once in 10 appearances.

Last season the Latics loaned Holt to Huddersfield, but the move was cut short when he suffered a serious injury that has kept him out until this month.

The striker recently said: "It's good to be back. I've had too many injuries while at Wigan.

"It's been a long old 10 months for me. But I've had a bit of a rest and I feel stronger. I had the desire to get back to do what I enjoy most."