Pundit Paul Robinson has been reacting to Tottenham’s interest in Wolves winger Adama Traore, Football Insider report.
The Lowdown: Long-term target
Traore has been on Tottenham’s radar for some time now, with the club coming close to landing the speedster over the summer.
That was when Nuno Espirito Santo was in charge, but, as we know, a move never materialised, with Wolves cancelling a summer deal.
Since then, Traore has continued to struggle in the final third at Molineux and is still awaiting his first goal contribution of 2021/22. As a result, it appears as if Antonio Conte has fresh plans for the 25-year-old, similar to what he did with Victor Moses at Chelsea.
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The Latest: Robinson reacts to update
According to The Athletic, Conte and Fabio Paratici are still keen on Traore and would look to turn him into a right wing-back in north London, with journalist Sami Mokbel also reporting a £20m move is in the works.
Robinson, who features on Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Traore. This is what he had to say to the update, labelling the Wolves man as ‘devastating’ and a ‘great addition’ for any side, however, he had his reservations regarding the Spaniard as a right wing-back.
“If Wolves are going to cash in on him it’s going to be soon because he is not going to sign another contract. He has been touted about heavily in recent windows.
“I cannot see him playing as a right wing-back in that system for Spurs. Defensively, I don’t think he gives Conte enough.
“Going forward he is devastating. He is a player I admire and that I like but as a winger, not a wing-back.
“He would be a great addition to any side but I don’t think he’s got the defensive capabilities to play on the right-hand side of a back five.
“I see him as part of a front three and Spurs have a lot of options in that area. I don’t think Spurs need him.”
The Verdict: Moses 2.0?
Moses heaped praise on Conte for the influence he had on his career, with the Nigerian playing a key role as the Blues won the Premier League in the Italian’s first season at Stamford Bridge.
And it now seems as if Traore’s career could turn around by moving to Spurs. The right-winger has scored just 10 times in 151 appearances for Wolves, so moving back into a deeper wing-back role could actually benefit him in the long run.
He’s got the athletic attributes and directness already, and was even labelled as 'unplayable' back in 2020 by Jurgen Klopp, while Pep Guardiola felt that no one can ‘handle’ his speed.
Conte clearly has a highly-rated target who he feels he can make better, and should he replicate what he did with Moses with Traore, it could be a frightening prospect.
In other news: Spurs now take next steps to sign 'one of the best' from PL rivals; Conte personally wants him.