Jackett braced for Sako interest

Wolves boss Kenny Jackett fears star winger Bakary Sako could be a target for Premier League clubs in January.

The Mali international, who has seven goals in the Championship this season, jets off to the Africa Cup of Nations following his side’s 0-0 FA Cup third-round draw at Fulham.

Jackett suggested he could dip into the market himself to cover Sako’s absence, but admitted top-flight teams may try and test Wolves’ resolve to hang on to him.

He said: “We’d love to keep him but every transfer window there’s constant speculation on him.

“In the last 18 months he’s been a very good player – so far we’ve managed to keep hold of him but you always know your best players can be vulnerable.

“It’s not something we invite but as and when it happens we’ll deal with it then. His ambition is the Premier League but so is ours.”

Jackett added he expected Kevin Doyle to return to Molineux on 17 January, when his loan at Crystal Palace expires, and said there had been no approaches for out-of-favour centre-back Roger Johnson.

Wolves will face a third-round replay at home after being held by Fulham, but Jackett refused to blame striker Leon Clarke for missing an open goal in the first half.

He said: “It came at him very quickly. It was the stand-out chance of the game and we’d have all loved him to have put that in but that’s forwards, you have to take those on the chin.”

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