Trotters land Davies

Bolton have signed Wolves midfielder Mark Davies on a four-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

Wolves had offered the 20-year-old a new contract in an attempt to keep him but the player handed in a transfer request.

League One Leicester, where Davies has spent the first part of the 2008-09 season on loan, also expressed interest but Premier League Bolton won the battle for his services.

Davies came through the youth ranks at Wolves but was sent on loan this term to help recover fitness after a series of injuries.

The former England Under-17 captain scored three goals in 10 appearances to help the Foxes to the top of League One.

Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey admitted earlier in the day he was disappointed that Davies' time at Molineux was destined to come to an end.

Moxey told the club's website, www.wolves.co.uk: "We've had him at this club for over 10 years and we always recognised he was an exceptional talent, and to say we're disappointed with his transfer request is an understatement.

"We've offered him a really good three-and-a-half-year contract on really good money, but he's said he wants to leave come what may.

"He's been injured on and off for over two years and we sent him on loan to a good club to get matchday experience, which he needs in order for him to come back and compete for a place in our team.

"We've had numerous meetings with him, his dad and his agent - we've done so much to persuade him to stay, but he's decided he wants to leave."