McCarthy calls on target to drop demands

Mick McCarthy insists that Celtic defender Bobo Balde must drop his wage demands before Wolves can afford to take him to Molineux.

The Wolves boss is keen to bolster his rearguard with the 32-year-old Guinean international central defender and can offer regular first-team football next season. However McCarthy has revealed that they are unable to match Balde's £30,000-a-week pay packet at Celtic Park.

Therefore the former Republic of Ireland coach has asked Balde to consider dropping his demands in favour of being guaranteed a longer deal at Wolves as opposed to seeing out the final year of his Bhoys contract and then facing an uncertain future.

McCarthy said: "We don't pay that kind of money as we're not in that market or that pay league, so it's a non-starter in that sense.

"But he has only one year left on his contract so he has the option of staying and taking the money or moving on; taking less but playing and having a longer contract.

"I had watched Celtic play against Rangers and I just asked a question then about what his financial position was Balde has always been one I've liked because he is a big, powerful centre-half."