JONATHAN REDHEAD Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is hoping to use striker Andy Keogh as a trump card in his bid to sign Scunthorpe hitman Billy Sharp from under the nose of Norwich City.

JONATHAN REDHEAD

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is hoping to use striker Andy Keogh as a trump card in his bid to sign Scunthorpe hitman Billy Sharp from under the nose of Norwich City. Sharp has been given permission by Scunthorpe chairman Steve Wharton to talk to Wolves and Sheffield Wednesday, having already met and been impressed with Canaries boss Peter Grant last week.

So far, City have been the only club to make an acceptable offer to Wharton but McCarthy is hoping 21-year-old Sharp will want to move to Molineux and reprise his strike partnership with former Iron Keogh. The partnership proved fruitful last season, before Keogh left Glandford Park to join Wolves and help them into the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs where they lost to West Bromwich Albion. But McCarthy is hoping the partnership could be rekindled.

"The fact we have got Andy Keogh here could be the deciding factor, I know the thought of having the opportunity to play with him again appeals to Billy," he says. "Billy has scored goals in League One on a regular basis and we have got his playing partner here - everyone knows they have got a great record together."

Sharp is expected to make up his mind within a week, and Grant is still hopeful he will see his future in Norfolk.

"It's a big decision for the young man," he said. "We obviously hope he will come here but if he decides to go elsewhere, good luck to him, he's a good little player. We have sold Norwich to him and we hope he's coming, but he's got to make that decision."

One player definitely not heading to Carrow Road is Aberdeen defender Russell Anderson. City made enquiries about the Dons skipper, who has played seven times for Scotland, but he yesterday completed a £1m move to Sunderland.

The 28-year-old central defender has signed a three-year deal at the Stadium of Light following 320 senior appearances and scored 19 goals for Aberdeen.

Elsewhere, City's Championship rivals QPR have signed 24-year-old Barnsley striker Daniel Nardiello, amid claims of a late bid from the Canaries, denied by the club. Nardiello said: "Once I had heard of QPR's interest and spoken to John Gregory, my mind was made up."