According to The Telegraph, Wolves are set to make a club record transfer by signing Adama Traore from Middlesbrough for £18 million.

Traore was in fine form for Boro last season but wasn’t able to prevent the club falling short at the play-off hurdle in their bid for promotion. However, it looks as though the winger did enough during his time in the Championship to convince Wolves to offer him an alternative route to the top flight.

In the second tier, last time out, the 22-year-old Barcelona graduate contributed 5 goals and 10 assists to Tony Pulis’ cause. However, in the campaign prior, in the Premier League, Traore failed to find the back of net at all despite regular game time at the Riverside Stadium.

Traore may have developed significantly since then, but Wolves should only be willing to spend that kind of money on proven top flight quality at this stage. 

For that reason, Wolves should drop their pursuit of Traore and move to land West Brom’s Nacer Chadli instead.

The Breakdown

Following their relegation from the Premier League last season, West Brom have struggled to hold on to their stars this summer. The likes of Ben Foster, James McClean and Jonny Evans have already left, and Craig Dawson, Jay Rodriguez and Salomon Rondon all look as though they could soon follow suit.

Wolves would be wise to try and pile on the misery at the Hawthorns by swooping for Chadli.

The Belgian is coming off of the back of a fine World Cup showing, but if he is to maintain his involvement at international level then he must find a way back to top flight football this season.

Joining Wolves would give Chadli the chance to shine once more in the Premier League, whilst Nuno Espirito Santo would be getting a player with the kind of top level experience and proven quality that is currently lacking at Molineux.

Transfermarkt value Chadli at £13.5 million, suggesting that the 29-year-old could come even cheaper than Traore would.