Wolves were today fighting to hold on to Kevin Doyle as Everton weighed up a £6.5m move before the transfer window shuts tomorrow night.

Molineux sources insist there has been no contact from Goodison yet for the Ireland international, who has recently been out of favour.

But they are aware Everton have been watching Doyle for up to two months, and have the funds after the sale of £5m Dimitar Bilyaletdinov to Spartak Moscow.

The Toffees have also been linked with Rangers’ Nikica Jelavic. But Rangers, who reportedly rejected a £7m package from West Ham for the Croatian, want £8m, and Doyle could be the cheaper option.

Any overtures from Merseyside towards Doyle could explain the dip in form he has experienced in recent times.

Boss Mick McCarthy desperately wants to hang on to the 28-year-old, especially with no chance of buying a suitable replacement before the window shuts. Wolves have lined up Newcastle’s Leon Best on loan to bolster their strikeforce.

But they know the temporary arrival of a striker who has slipped down the pecking order on Tyneside isn’t going to appease the fans who are worried at the lack of transfer activity since the arrival of £600,000 Eggert Jonsson and Emmanuel Frimpong on loan.

“We are still hoping to bring someone in on loan,” said chief executive Jez Moxey. “But it’s proving very difficult.”

Doyle is unhappy at being left out of the team and is desperate to recapture his form, which has dipped since he signed his four-year contract in October, to keep his Ireland place with Euro 2012 looming this summer.

Wolves, meanwhile, are trying to push through two outgoing loan deals as they attempt to bring in Best.

Striker Sam Vokes was today poised to join Brighton on loan for the rest of the season as midfielder Adlene Guedioura prepared for a stint with an unnamed Championship club.