Shaun Goater was just a signature away from joining Wolverhampton Wanderers last year, it has been revealed.

The Manchester City striker, who went on to plunder 32 goals for the club as they marched into the Premiership, was on the verge of being sold to the Blues' First Division rivals in June 2001.

The news came to light on Thursday when Wolves were forced to declare they had no interest in the Bermudian following intense speculation in the English media.

With the acquisition of French international Nicolas Anelka and Argentine Under-21 Matias Vuoso, Kevin Keegan now has half a dozen strikers on his books at Maine Road.

As a result it was felt that Goater might be surplus to requirements and numerous stories have been written in England linking the 32-year-old with a move to Molineux.

"We have made no bid for Shaun Goater and we have not even discussed him," Wolves' chief executive Jez Moxey told the Express and Star newspaper.

"Even if he is available, I wouldn't want people to assume we were going to buy him just because we nearly got him last summer.

"Although we are not ruling out the idea that we might go for players under contract, I think we are mainly looking, for now, at the Bosman market unless we can unload.

"We are suffering the financial problems that all Nationwide clubs are from the ITV Digital collapse and I said long ago this would be a very quiet summer for transfers."

However, Moxey said things might have been different last year.

"We had agreed a fee with David Bernstein (City's chairman)," he said. "Then, at the last minute, Arthur Cox (City coach) persuaded Kevin Keegan to keep him."

Meanwhile, Keegan has declared his intention to keep all of his strikers at the club.

"We have now got six forwards that could be the envy of any club in the world," he said. "The best thing about the six strikers is they're all different. The challenge is there now for all the players at this club. I wouldn't want to say that someone would play very well with so and so, it's up to them now.

"I have my ideas, but it could be (Jon) Macken, Vuoso, (Paulo) Wanchope etc up there (with Anelka).

"We may play 4-3-3 next season, we'll have a look at all that in the close season."

After an injury hit term when City were last in the Premiership, Keegan is keen to see if Goater has what it takes to make it in the big time.

"Shaun Goater deserves the chance to prove he can score goals in the Premiership again, (Darren) Huckerby's done it before with Coventry in the Premiership," he said. "Jon Macken is unproven in the Premiership but he's only 24 and he's scored goals at every other level, so it's a challenge now for him."