Wolves sign midfielder Milijas

(GETTY IMAGES)

Wolves have made Serbia midfielder Nenad Milijas their first signing of the summer as they prepare for life in the Premier League.

Milijas has signed a four-year contract at Molineux, subject to a work permit, after completing a move from Red Star Belgrade for an undisclosed fee.

The 26-year-old, who stands 6ft 2in tall, was the player of the year in the Serbian league last season.

"We're really thrilled to have started our summer recruitment with Nenad Milijas," said Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey.

Milijas is considered a dead-ball specialist, and has used those skills to build up an impressive goal-scoring record from midfield.

"He scored 16 goals from 30-odd games for Red Star Belgrade last season from central midfield and is also a physical presence who can play in a variety of different positions as well as being left-footed which gives the team more balance," Moxey added on the team's website.

"He's got plenty of experience but also at 26 years old is in the prime of his career.

"This is a big signing for us and we are absolutely delighted with it."

Moxey claimed Wolves had beaten several other clubs across Europe to the signature of a player who has been watched several times by manager Mick McCarthy.

"He's always been very positive about joining Wolves which is a great sign," Moxey said.

"When he arrived here and we showed him around the training ground and Molineux he was saying this is where he wanted to be.

"He's also a real leader, a captain-type, and the all-round signs are extremely positive.

"We've been looking very closely across Europe for the last year.

"As a club we've never been afraid to bring in foreign players and Nenad fits the bill of a very talented one at that."

Milijas, who won two Serbian league titles in three seasons at Red Star, has 10 caps for his country and Moxey admitted the work permit application will not be straightforward.

"We're going to make a quite detailed application because he doesn't quite fufil the criteria so it will probably go to appeal," he said.

"But he has been a regular in Serbia's senior international team for the last season as well as being a key member of the under-21 set-up before that."