Town have made an enquiry to Saturday’s friendly opponents Wolves regarding their versatile defender Richard Stearman. The 23-year-old’s opportunities at Molineux look likely to be limited during the season ahead with manager Mick McCarthy having signed Roger Johnson from Birmingham for £4 million earlier this summer.
Wolverhampton-born Stearman started his career with Leicester, making his debut for the Foxes in 2004.
Four years later, having been a regular in the Leicester side for the previous three seasons, he joined his hometown club for an undisclosed fee.
A member of the 2008/09 Wolves Championship-winning side, £1 million-rated Stearman primarily plays at centre-half but also at right-back, both areas where the Blues currently need cover.
Last season, 6ft 3in tall Stearman made 32 starts and four sub appearances, scoring one goal, largely covering for injured skipper Jody Craddock, who has just signed a new deal at Molineux.
An England U17, U18, U19 and U21 international, Stearman, who is contracted to Wolves until 2014, was linked with a switch of allegiance to the Republic of Ireland, the country of a grandparent’s birth, earlier in the year.