Wolves hit Middlesbrough FC transfer gold thanks to Tony Pulis | OneFootball

Wolves signed Adama Traore from Middlesbrough following promotion to the Premier League in 2018, and he was a joy to watch at times at Molineux.

Wolves are preparing for life back in the Championship after eight consecutive years in the Premier League.

It’s fair to say that Nuno Espírito Santo’s side that won the second tier in the 2017/18 campaign weren’t your average promoted team. The club utilised their relationship with Jorge Mendes to bring the likes of Willy Boly, Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota to Molineux.

Therefore, there was a sense of intrigue as to what Wolves would do in the Premier League - and they didn’t disappoint.

Rui Patricio, Jonny, Joao Moutinho and Raul Jimenez were the standout signings, which was once again evidence of the club using Mendes to their benefit.

Adama Traore was a great signing for Wolves

However, they didn’t just look overseas for new arrivals, and one signing that perhaps went under the radar at the time was Adama Traore.

The winger had been flying with Middlesbrough in the Championship under the guidance of Tony Pulis, but their failure to win promotion meant a move was on the cards, and Traore would join Wolves in an £18m deal.

That was a significant fee for Wanderers, but with Traore having struggled in the Premier League with Aston Villa earlier in his career, there were no guarantees it would work out.

Yet, over the next few years, Traore would establish himself as an important part of what was the best Wolves side in decades, and his qualities would make him one of the most unique players in world football.

Simply put, there were few players like him on the planet. A combination of ridiculous speed and outrageous physicality meant he was virtually impossible to stop, which is why the fans loved him at Molineux.

At his best, Traore was making a difference against the biggest teams in the world. He was namechecked by Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, with the Spanish international having a tendency to do very well against City.

Traore scored twice as Wolves shocked City to beat them at the Etihad Stadium in 2019, and he also dismantled them, and found the net, as they overcame Guardiola’s men 3-2 at Molineux, which meant they did the double over them that season.

It was a common occurrence to see teams at least double up on the wide man, but, even then, he was almost impossible to stop, and opposition players would take it in turns to hack him down in any way they could.

During this period, there was talk of a £70m transfer away from Wolves, but with Nuno’s side recording two top seven finishes following promotion, as well as reaching an FA Cup semi-final and a Europa League quarter-final, it seemed like Traore could fulfil his ambitions in the Black Country.

Adama Traore lacked the end product for his outrageous talent

Despite that, there is still a sense of what could’ve been when discussing Traore’s time at Wolves, and his career in general.

A permanent move away didn’t materialise, although Traore did spend time on loan at boyhood club Barcelona, and he eventually left Wolves on a free in 2023.

That was quite the drop-off for a player who had terrorised the best clubs in the world in the past, but Traore’s numbers in front of goal didn’t match the excitement he brought on the pitch.

Over his four-and-a-half years at Wolves, he didn’t score more than four league goals in a season, and the 2019/20 campaign was the only time he registered more than two assists in a Premier League season.

That lack of productivity will no doubt have played a big part in why Traore couldn’t take that next step to join a real elite club in his career, and there’s no denying that he did frustrate on many occasions with his final ball and decision making.

Nevertheless, as Wolves fans reflect on a fantastic period in their history, Traore will be remembered fondly.

Given the heights he hit at one point during his time at Molineux, it seems remarkable that they not only didn’t make a profit, but also ended up letting him run his contract down.

But, purely from a football perspective, it was a worthwhile investment, and whilst he did divide opinion at times, it was £18m well spent, as Traore was a joy to watch in Old Gold, and there weren’t many players who could do what he did when he was at his peak.