WANDERERS are closing in on the signing of former Sheffield Wednesday striker Gary Madine.

The 24-year-old is to become Neil Lennon’s first signing of the summer after turning down an offer from Birmingham City to sign at the Macron Stadium.

Lennon has been searching for striker options after allowing Craig Davies leave the club, and has yet to tie down Eidur Gudjohnsen or Emile Heskey to a new deal.

Madine's arrival may provoke mixed reactions among the Whites support, however, owing to his history of criminal convictions.

Madine was found guilty of ABH in 2010 and given community service, then served five months of an 18-month jail term in October 2013 after being found guilty of ABH and GBH in Sheffield.

On release from prison he vowed to start his career anew and was a regular in the Wednesday line-up for the first few months of last season before being loaned out to Coventry City.

He then spent the last few months of the season in the Championship with Blackpool and finished the campaign with eight goals in 41 appearances in all competitions.

He was released at Hillsborough last week and is expected to sign a deal with Wanderers in the next few days.