Mick McCarthy says Town will be one of the clubs in the chase to sign his former Wolves striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake in January. The free agent 27-year-old is close to returning to fitness having been out since April after suffering a broken leg and ankle ligament damage.

Burnley, Leicester and Leeds have all been linked with the former England U21 international in recent days with McCarthy, who took him to Wolves from Plymouth for £1.5 million in January 2008, believing he is nearing the point where he will be joining a new club.

“I think he’s progressing OK and is probably getting to the stage where he’s looking for a club,” he said.

“I spoke to him when I was up at Jody Craddock’s testimonial dinner at Molineux about four weeks ago and I think in January he’ll certainly be looking for a club, and there’ll be clubs looking for him, and we’ll be one of them.

“He’s done most of his rehab at Wolves, any club that has got a player [who is out of contract but suffered an injury while still in contract] has to make sure he’s fit to perform before they can let him go. They can’t just haul you out the door, they’ve got to make sure you’re fit to play.

“But then they’re not going to give him any games but he would be fit for purpose, he would train with the team. They’d do all his rehab with him, his football work and make sure that he’s fit enough. And if he is, I’d be delighted to have him.”

Photo: Action Images

dude added 06:06 - Dec 13 Is this the droid we're looking for?
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Tufty added 07:10 - Dec 13 We don't need to see his identification.
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bluemikey100 added 07:17 - Dec 13 wud rather have marriott on the bench
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Dowson added 07:36 - Dec 13 Disagree with blue mikey... He is a young lad and needs games at a lower level to improve. We saw when Jordan Rhodes was in our team when he was a young lad not do very well but after he wen to a lower league team he improved. We should play players who are the best we have and not use age as an excuse to put them before other more ready players. Proven goalscorer would much rather have him than salmon if i'm hoenst.

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TractorCam added 08:01 - Dec 13 Would be quite happy with this signing, Proven goalscorer in this league and is still only 27 years old.
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RedDust added 08:08 - Dec 13 The news I've been waiting the hear!! I'll be watching intently to see if the storm troopers let him into the stadium!
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StochesStotasBlewe added 08:17 - Dec 13 Providing he IS FIT, I think he would be a good acquisition to our strike force.
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ArnieMsBigToe added 08:48 - Dec 13 Agree with Dowson on this one. Would much rather have EBB than Salmon. MM & TC know what they're doing and I think that they're at ITFC maybe a big factor in persuading EBB to come here. Also, don't forget that Nouble and Berra are already here, so there would be some familiar faces. . .
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spanishblue added 08:50 - Dec 13 A fit ewbanks Blake is a no brainer sorry but most 18 year olds are not up to the task as much as we all want marriott to be a star be patient his time will come
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hossblue added 08:54 - Dec 13 Could he be the man to do what Marcus done for us way back when?
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Popeye added 08:56 - Dec 13 It will be down to wages/length of contract unless a prem side come in then its a no brainer for SEB. MM/SEB have history from their time at Wolves together and hopefully that will appeal to SEB.
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ArnieMsBigToe added 09:02 - Dec 13 Oops!! Not EBB. SEB
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boltzak added 09:15 - Dec 13 Should have signed him instead of Norris.
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Special_A added 09:20 - Dec 13 IF he gets back to the player he was and IF we can sign him and IF he can partner DM Then this could be a great FREE. Lots of IFs but MM former players do seem happy to follow him.
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cphtractor added 09:33 - Dec 13 Not sure about SEB. Do think we have players who could do similar or better job than him. Based on his dip in form from the 08-09 season where he averaged 0,57 p/g. His 3 Premiership years where disappointing where his average dropped to 0,14. Back in the championship, before his injury, he did improve to 0.35. Both Murphy and McGoldrick are doing better than that.
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muccletonjoe added 10:08 - Dec 13 IF we get him , then I would say our play off place very much rests on wheather he clicks with the team and is hungry for goals. He would not be my choice , but I can see why he's mick mccarthys
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Jimmy86 added 10:15 - Dec 13 Think it would be a real coup if we were able to sign SEB purely based on the 3 teams mentioned in connection with him!!! Leeds are still a big club and burnley and leicester have been in top 3 all season and leicester have financial clout. Hopefully the mick connection will come up trumps again. He's a goal scorer without a doubt. Coyb
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nbsiyag added 15:52 - Dec 13 Cambridge born and raised - a move to this part of the world under MM may be very appealing to him.
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theobald1985 added 16:18 - Dec 13 not sure I agree with Dowson above I think marriot like rhodes is a natural goalscorer. I donr recall rhodes ever being give a 10 game run so to my mind he was never given a proper chance and he was ready.I remember a midweek game towards the end of magiltons reign where he came on and scored a tap but he was in the right place and the right time and if your good enough you are old enough. I also wonder how much better the keepers and defenders he scored against the very next season to the ones in the championship at the time.I think between the top of L1 and the bottom of the champ there is not much differance. I would like us to move to playing wing backs sign ebanks blake and play him up front with marriot with Mcgoldrick in a free role behind them making trouble for teams.we could then have skuse and hyam in the middle with edwards and cresswell as wing backs and 3 centre halves of berra smith and chambers. this system worked well under burley

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blueboy1981 added 17:16 - Dec 13 ...... no brainer - get him in. With him, Diddsy, Jack, and Murph chipping in - who needs more ?
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radiogaga added 17:46 - Dec 13 Agree with blueboy, it's a no brainer (hence why Mick has said what he's said). I don't think it should be a case of 'we've got Marriott so why do we need Ebanks-Blake' with any of our fans either. Ebanks-Blake is an experienced and natural goalscorer, it would do the kid no harm to have someone like that on the training ground, even if they don't play together. I still think we are lacking someone like Ebanks-Blake, and that is no disrespect to McGoldrick.

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MrDiddle added 20:46 - Dec 13 If MM gets ITFC promoted with a team full of frees I will seriously worship the man! COYB!
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KiwiTractor added 00:48 - Dec 14 Only 27, he seems to have been around a while. I would like to see him signed but will be surprised if it happens.
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