Sanderson primed for Wolves exit

WOLVES are willing to sell Dion Sanderson in the summer transfer window – but Blues may face a fight for his signature.

Sanderson has become a firm favourite at St Andrew’s during two separate loan spells with the club in the last couple of seasons.

The 23-year-old made 30 Championship starts for Blues this term before injury curtailed his season last month.

Sanderson has been receiving treatment at Wolves’ Compton Park training ground for a back injury but has attended Blues’ fixtures during his spell on the sidelines. He remains an important and popular figure within the St Andrew’s dressing room.

Wolves view the summer window as the ideal time to cash in on Sanderson (below). The defender has amassed almost 100 senior appearances during five loan spells since graduating from Wolves’ academy.

The Post has been told Wolves won’t demand an excessive fee for the player, who has two years remaining on his contract.

Blues had been able to keep him for the entirety of his loan spell this term after insisting Wolves didn’t include a recall clause in the agreement.

According to sources at Molineux, other Championship clubs have shown interest in Sanderson, including Stoke, during the campaign.

Blues head coach John Eustace, who also worked with Sanderson at QPR, is a huge admirer and wants him to join the club permanently.

“Absolutely I want the club to look at signing him,” he said previously. “It’s an injury but he is a young player who has had a fantastic season up to now. I think he has proved his worth, the fans love him to bits, like we all do here at the football club.”

Meanwhile, Nathan Collins insists he is staying level-headed despite being dropped from the Wolves first XI in recent weeks.

The 21-year-old joined Wolves for £20.5 million in the summer and has impressed in his first campaign at the club. However, following Julen Lopetegui’s appointment, Collins has seen his game time reduced.

“I look after myself. If I’m not playing, I still do the right things, I’m in the gym,” Collins said. “When you’re not in the team, you get to work on different things you can’t work on when you’re in the team. I took the positives out of it, I made the best out of it and I worked on what I needed to work on. I’ve been here before, to be fair. I’ve a good background behind me looking after me and keeping me well. Me, my family, and everyone behind me, we’re strong, we’re willing to go work hard again and get back into the team.”