Why Wolves have signed former Sunderland winger Bertrand Traore | OneFootball

Former Sunderland winger Bertrand Traore has joined Championship side Wolves on a one-year deal. The 31-year-old moves on after Sunderland chose not to trigger an extension.

Traoré became a regular under Régis Le Bris in the first half of last season following his deadline-day switch from Ajax. His momentum was checked by an injury at the Africa Cup of Nations. He made one further outing as a substitute at Leeds United at Elland Road, then suffered a recurrence and did not play again.

Wolves executive chairman Nathan Shi said the club wanted a signing who could make an immediate impact and add flexibility. He sees Traoré’s experience of the English game as valuable for the dressing room and a strong fit for Cesar Peixoto’s needs on the right.

Peixoto considers him a player to raise competition, with strong one v one ability, a left foot for goals or assists and the speed to attack space. He expects to rotate that position this season, so varied profiles were needed.

The head coach added that Traoré has been training alone, so he needs time to build fitness and learn their approach, but he is another option in their push for the Premier League. He called the Championship very tough and said two players per position are needed to manage games.

Technical director Matt Jackson said the club had tracked Traoré’s availability all summer, worked closely with his representatives and felt he matched their recruitment criteria after assessing many alternatives.

Source: Sunderland Echo

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