Kevin Doyle signed up for Wolves' widely anticipated battle against relegation and then told his new team-mates to defy the doubters and aim for Europe.

The Republic of Ireland striker has joined the Barclays Premier League new boys from Reading for an undisclosed fee, thought to be a club-record sum in the region of £6.5million.

He is set to form an intriguing partnership with prolific - in the Coca-Cola Championship, at least - marksman Sylvan Ebanks-Blake - a duo worth 43 goals last season.

Many will look to them to keep Wanderers' heads above water in a fiercely competitive top flight, however Doyle believes Mick McCarthy's side can set their sights higher than mere survival.

"We finished a point or maybe even a goal away from Europe when we went up with Reading," he told www.wolves.co.uk.

"I don't know why we did so well but we all went in there wide-eyed and excited and fresh to play and that got us through.

"It was a bit like it is with Wolves now in that none of us had played in the Premier League before.

"I'm delighted to be joining what is historically a massive club and one which will be trying to establish itself in the Premier League."

According to Wolves they beat off competition from other top-flight clubs to recruit the 25-year-old, who has signed a four-year contract at Molineux.

A delighted McCarthy enthused: "I think it's a huge signing for the football club and it's a coup.

"For us to secure the signing is brilliant and there might be one or two others scratching their heads and wondering why they didn't do it, but perhaps that's because we were in there from the start."