Fulham defender Richard Stearman is close to completing a swift return to his old club Wolverhampton Wanderers, according to a report in the Express and Star newspaper tonight.

The former Wolves skipper joined Fulham from the Midlands club last year but has fallen down the pecking order since the arrival of fellow central defenders Michael Madl, Tomas Kalas and Ragnar Sigurdsson this summer. Stearman is reportedly poised to have a medical at Wolves tonight ahead of a proposed loan move back to his old side.

The 29 year-old’s original departure from Molineux was controversial after he had made 234 appearances for the club in a seven year spell and was voted both the fans’ player of the year and players’ player of the season in 2014-2015. Stearman, who is under contract at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2018, has struggled to recapture that form in London, making 30 appearances as Fulham battled against relegation from the Championship last term. His only first-team opportunities this season have come in the EFL Cup victories over Leyton Orient and Middlesbrough.