Former Premier League Golden Boot winner Kevin Phillips believes that Wolves would sell Adama Traore if an offer of £70m was made for him.
According to Football Insider, the Molineux club value the 24-year-old at that amount and will not entertain offers lower than that, with the same publication claiming that Liverpool are targeting the winger as a potential signing.
Traore joined from Middlesbrough two years ago for a reported £18m (as per BBC) and Phillips believes that, while the winger has made an excellent impact at Wolves, the club should accept any bids that meet their £70m valuation of him.
He told Football Insider: “He has developed brilliantly this year. His pace is an attribute nobody in world football has got – unbelievable. He can still frustrate you when he gets into that final third so is he worth £70million? I do not think so. Wolves may be doing that because they do not want to lose the player. If someone offered £70million I am pretty sure Wolves would take it.
“It would be disappointing if he leaves because it has been a remarkable turnaround this season. He has developed well under the manager and taken everything on board that he has been told to do. It would be a blow to lose him.”
One aspect where Phillips is absolutely right is in saying how superb Traore has been for Wolves his season and how big a void he would leave if another club can lure him from Molineux. Having scored just once and provided three assists in his first season at Wolves, the 24-year-old has notably increased his output for 2019/20 to six goals and 10 assists. Two of those goals came in a magnificent 2-0 win at Manchester City in October.
According to WhoScored, he has been Wolves’ man of the match in six Premier League games this season, at least twice as many as any of his team-mates. Only Joao Moutinho has provided more assists and more key passes per game for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side this term, while a report from Birmingham Live claimed that he is the quickest player in the Premier League, having recorded a sprint of almost 23 miles per hour.
Traore is evidently a key asset for Wolves but Phillips may have a point in saying that an offer of £70m for him could be too difficult to turn down. The club’s record transfer fee received is a modest £15.93m for Helder Costa’s switch to Leeds, so an offer for nearly five times that amount may be hard to resist. Much could rest on how the player feels about a possible move and whether he is happy to stay at Wolves or would like to take his chances at another club.
Traore has a TransferMarkt valuation of just £22.95m, so an offer of £70m should represent excellent value for him. However, as Phillips has said, it is also a question of how badly Wolves could be affected if they were to take the money for the impressive 24-year-old.
Wolves fans, is Phillips right in saying that a transfer offer of £70m could tempt the club into selling Traore or is he simply too crucial to consider selling at any price? Join in the discussion by commenting below!
