Wolverhampton Wanderers have moved a step closer to securing the services of teen sensation James McCarthy today.

Having told you here on ExtraFootie that the club have agreed a £2million fee with Hamilton for the highly rated 18-year-old midfielder, the Republic of Ireland U21 international is now at Molineux for talks before completing the move.

Wigan Athletic were also chasing the services of the coveted starlet but it appears Mick McCarthy has won the race with The Latics' Spanish boss Roberto Martinez to land the player. In a succesful two-year-spell with the Accies, that included promotion back to the SPL last year, McCarthy made 95 appearances for the club and scored 13 goals.

He is now part of an exodus from New Douglas Park,with the club's other prized asset Brian Easton also bound for the Premier League with Wolves' fellow new boys Burnely set to snap him up.

The loss of both players will be a huge blow to the Scottish outfit, as boss Billy Reid pointed out.

"I think thats an understatement," he said.

"To lose James would be a blow, the same as it was a blow to lose Brian."

McCarthy would become Wolves' seventh signing of the summer as Mick McCarthy continues his Molineuz revolution.