Adama Traore may have an uncertain future at Wolverhampton Wanderers, say The Athletic. He’s failed to nail down a starting place under Nuno Espirito Santo this season, and Dermot Corrigan and Tim Spiers say he’s in a deadlock with the club over a new deal. We’ve put a contract extension on the table, but Traore refused to sign it as he believes he’s worth more.
The Athletic say the 24-year-old is ticked off with Wolves, as he thinks Nuno’s decision not to start him is related to the contract deadlock. It’s worth noting that another source close to the club has refuted those claims, so the real reason is unknown. It could just be football reasons. It could be something else.
What contract did Traore reject?
The Spanish international was in talks over a new deal last month and looked set to sign it, but he’s since turned Wolves down and wants a more lucrative contract that reflects his importance.
Traore currently earns £2.2m-a-year/£43k-per-week which is less than half what our highest-earner Joao Moutinho (£5.2m-a-year/£100k-per-week) takes home, so he must be asking for his wages to be in line with the 34-year-old’s?
The 24-year-old scored (6) and created (12) 18 goals in 54 games last season, making 48 chances, whipping in 183 crosses and making 184/247 successful dribbles (74.4%), so he’s proven himself to be one of the best wingers in the Premier League.
Juventus, Barcelona, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City have shown an interest in Traore too, so he’s in a strong negotiating position. There are three years remaining on his existing deal, so it’s not time to panic.
We’ve tied down Oskar Buur, John Ruddy, Conor Coady, Raul Jimenez, Max Kilman and Pedro Neto to new deals in 2020 and I believe Traore will eventually follow. He just wants to feel appreciated.
Struggling for minutes under Nuno
The only real issue is Traore’s role in the squad. He’s made nine appearances across the board this season, failing to score or make an assist. The 24-year-old has started only four games from a possible nine and amassed 431/810 minutes of playing time.
Neto (9 games, 1 goal, 2 assists) and Daniel Podence (8 games, 1 goal, 2 assists) have been preferred by Nuno, so Traore has some work to do to get back in the team.
In other news, what’s the latest on Luke Matheson? How is he getting on at Wolves?
