ROHAN Ricketts on Monday turned down interest from the Premiership to agree a permanent move to Wolves.

Wolves have headed off approaches from elsewhere for their previous loan signing by striking a deal to snap up the 22-year-old midfielder when his contract with Tottenham expires on July 1.

Ricketts will sign a two-year deal with Wolves retaining the option of a further year as he continues his alliance with boss Glenn Hoddle.

"Once I heard Glenn was staying then, if the club was interested, I knew my heart would be here," said Ricketts.

"I had offers from other clubs in both the Premier League and the Championship, but there is such a big opportunity here I couldn't pass it by.

"I am really looking forward to next season. I am excited by the prospect of being involved with a club of this status, and with such a great chance of us getting back up to the Premiership.

"There are a lot of good players here, both young and experienced, and we all can't wait to come back for pre-season and start that promotion push."

Hoddle has moved quickly since agreeing his own permanent deal at Molineux, securing contract extensions for keepers Matt Murray and Michael Oakes, and now swooping for Ricketts, whose impressive impact on loan included an excellent winning goal at Reading.

"We are delighted to have reached this agreement with Rohan, it is great news for the club," said Hoddle.

"Rohan impressed during his loan spell and once it was announced that he would soon be a free agent then we were keen to begin talks with him about a permanent deal.

"He's young, has lots of ability and is one for the future.

"We're all looking forward to seeing more from him. A player of his age will improve and he is a good buy for us now and for the years to come.

"I know a few other clubs were after him but it's good for the club all round that we managed to secure this agreement with him."

With George Ndah seeking to win a contract in pre-season, Hoddle now only has to finalise arrangements one way or the other with outofcontract trio Paul Ince, Keith Andrews and Joachim Bjorklund.

Ince is expected to agree a new oneyear deal, although Andrews has been linked with a move to Hull and Bjorklund is unlikely to be kept on.

Hoddle also has a small amount of funding to spend on new signings, with that kitty also set to be swelled with the eventual sale of wantaway striker Henri Camara. n GEORGE Ndah today expressed his gratitude to Wolves boss Glenn Hoddle for giving him "hope" in the battle to end his two-year injury

Despite being out of contract this summer, Ndah has been invited back for pre-season in a bid to prove his fitness and convince Hoddle is worthy of another deal.

It's more than the striker could perhaps have expected after two years without a senior appearance thanks to a catalogue of injuries, but is another indication of the threat Wolves feel Ndah could pose at Championship level.

"The gaffer wants me to come in for pre-season and then if it goes well we shall take it from there," said Ndah.

"I am grateful to him for giving me his time and explaining what he wants from me.

"He has said that I still have a future here if things go well in the summer, so I am delighted with that. It is good of him to give me such hope.

"Everybody connected with the club has been fantastic. It is well documented how hard the last two years have been for me but with the players, the staff and the fans all willing me on, then it has made it all much easier." Ndah, who made two aborted comebacks last pre-season and then in January, managed to end the season with a bright 45 minutes for the reserves against Bolton.

However, following that appearance he was then unable to feature in any of the second string's final three games.

"I didn't play in the last couple of reserve games as a precaution really," he explained.

"After getting a run out in the one against Bolton my body was very tired because it had been so long since I'd played.

"I trained with a view to playing in the last game but after training I was feeling the thigh a little bit and so the gaffer pulled me out, so as to be careful," he said.

"But that's all behind us now and I shall be working on my fitness through the summer with a view to being 100 per cent ready for pre-season."