Wolves target Plymouth striker Sylvain Ebanks-Baker

Jan 10 2008 by Paul Berry, Birmingham Mail

WOLVES today stepped up their bid to land Plymouth’s Sylvain Ebanks-Blake by making a bid of £1.5milion for the bustling striker.

The former Manchester United striker has long been one of Mick McCarthy’s January transfer targets, and the Molineux men are now testing Plymouth’s resolve to hang on to one of their prized assets.

The 21-year-old has notched 13 goals in all competitions this season, 11 of which have come in the Championship, making him the league's third top scorer behind Kevin Phillips and James Beattie.

With Wolves’ joint top scorers Freddy Eastwood and Stephen Elliott standing on just four goals apiece, the need for a prolific marksman is high on McCarthy’s agenda particularly one with a physical presence such as Ebanks-Blake.

Plymouth will be desperate to hang onto the striker, not least as sitting seventh in the table and a point ahead of Wolves they have genuine promotion aspirations of their own.

Added to that they have already lost Ebanks-Blake’s former strike partner Barry Hayles to Leicester.

With Pilgrims winger David Norris also a big-money target for Ipswich, boss Paul Sturrock has gone on record to say none of their top players will be leaving in January unless they receive an incredible offer.

But it remains to seen whether they can hang on to Ebanks-Blake, who having cost just £200,000 18 months ago is now also interesting big-spending QPR.