Wolves could repeat one unfortunate transfer blunder as interest surrounds one of Gary O’Neil’s talents.
The 2023/24 season was beneficial to a host of Wolves players, who thrived under the guidance of Gary O’Neil.
There was some worry after the manager’s swift arrival just days prior to the season opener however, time proved that his appointment was the best decision.
The boss’ system allowed the likes of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha to really find their feet at Molineux, with another player also showing glimpses of his quality.
Boubacar Traore featured in the latter stages of last campaign and shone in midfield although, the Malian has now been linked with a move away.
READ MORE: Who will be Wolves’ next captain? Five potential candidates to replace the outgoing Max Kilman
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RC Lens are interested in Wolves midfielder Boubacar Traore
It’s been reported that Ligue 1 side RC Lens are eyeing Traore, who made the permanent switch to Wolves only last summer.
The Mali international initially arrived at Molineux on loan from FC Metz before signing permanently last year however, has struggled to tie down regular game time.
READ MORE: Wolves confirmed signings, transfers in, out, loan exits, releases for 2024/25Now that interest in the midfielder has come to light, there will be some concern that O’Neil could lose the 22-year-old prematurely.
Last season, Traore secured only seven starts and 803 minutes of Premier League football, telling of his need to play more frequently at a crucial point in his development.
As a result, the midfield maestro could be tempted by an offer from Lens although, Wolves should think heavily about how to navigate Traore’s future.
Gary O’Neil won’t want Traore to follow Vitinha transfer nightmare
Seeing a player exit the club early into their career would not be unfamiliar for Wolves, as the Midlands side have seen several talents leave and blossom into top talents.
The most notable transformation after his exit was Vitinha, who has since thrived at PSG and made himself one of the top performing midfielders in Europe.
Joining Vitinha is Pedro Goncalves, who was also on Wolves’ books early into his career before leaving, with the Sporting CP star now in demand and sporting a price tag of €80m (£68m).
The duo have exploded onto the scene in Europe as two top performers of their clubs however, their outlook was rather different at Molineux, as both players were unconvincing in the Old Gold.
READ MORE: Joao Gomes told he ‘can learn’ from rarely-seen Wolves teammate to improve one thingWith Traore now linked to a move away, the Wolves boss won’t want history to repeat itself, as the 22-year-old has shown just how powerful he can be in midfield when given the chance.
Last season, O’Neil admitted that he is “really excited” about Traore’s future, despite his inability to hand him frequent playing time.
Given how highly the manager rates the midfielder, and the potential he showed in the latter stages of the campaign, it would be a shame to see him leave Molineux at this point of his journey.
Traore is by no means Wolves’ star player however, neither was Vitinha and neither was Goncalves, two players who departed under the radar to fulfil their potential elsewhere.
Only time will truly tell where Traore’s future lies and whether he will reach the heights of those before him, with there hope that Wolves can retain the valuable squad player.
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