Aviva Premiership strugglers Wasps have announced that England lock Tom Palmer is to rejoin them on a two-year contract.

Palmer, who was in England's World Cup squad last year and is a member of their current RBS 6 Nations starting XV, will move back to Adams Park next season.

And he will return to the club alongside England back-row forward James Haskell, who has been playing in Japan and will have a season of Super 15 rugby before rejoining Wasps.

London-born Palmer, 32, won Heineken Cup and Premiership honours with Wasps before joining Paris-based Stade Francais in 2009.

He has won 35 caps, starting 17 of England's last 21 Tests, and represents a significant signing for Wasps.

Wasps are currently 11th in the Premiership, nine points above bottom club Newcastle, although they have reached this season's Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals and will host Biarritz in early April.

Palmer said: "I am delighted to be returning to London Wasps. I have many happy memories of three successful seasons at Adams Park, and I am very excited by the prospect of my return."

Wasps rugby director Dai Young added: "This is a fantastic signing for us, and I'm delighted that Tom will be here next season.

"Bringing the kind of quality in that Tom and James (Haskell) will deliver, demonstrates our desire to have a highly-competitive squad next season that will see us I hope push forward very positively.

"Tom is one of the best second-rows in world rugby, and it's a real advantage that he comes to the club with a thorough knowledge of what Wasps is all about."