Manager Mick McCarthy is confident his best young players will stay with Wolves after meeting with the squad before they departed for the summer break.

The boss held individual talks with his charges and believes the team will be back stronger than ever next season.

He said: "The nucleus of the squad will remain.

"We are all disappointed we didn't get into the play-offs but we realise we have got a fantastic squad of players here that will be better for the experience. I'm extremely confident we will keep them.

"I've had discussions with one or two and told them I feel it is better for their development that they stay here.

"I had a chat with Wayne. He wanted to thank me for having shown confidence in him.

"His view is that he wants to play week in week out. He's our first choice keeper and he wants to develop here.

"He didn't come into my office thinking 'I've had one good season here and now I want to be off'.

"We talked about Richard Wright when he went to Arsenal (after doing well at Ipswich). If you have a good year in the Championship it doesn't mean you are going to go to the Premiership and set the world on fire. You need to be more battle hardened.

"If we are sitting here in 12 months time in the same position then the likes of Wayne, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Michael Kightly might have a different view on it. But as far as I'm aware there is no issue.

"This is a good place to work, they enjoy it here.

"If other clubs were not looking at my players I'd be upset because it would mean they weren't any good."

Mick was speaking at the traditional end of season press conference, also attended by chief executive Jez Moxey, who added: "Wayne, Sylvan and Michael have all said recently through the press - and off their own bat and not because the club asked them to - that they are happy here and that is really encouraging."