Aston Villa are eyeing a move for a former player, as reports link Adama Traore with a potential return to Villa Park.
Unai Emery and Monchi have teamed up in the Midlands to orchestrate a stellar transfer window so far, however, the duo could face their first summer disaster by opting to secure the services of the Spaniard well known in the area.
Is Adama Traore a free agent?
Following the expiration of his contract with Wolves, the winger is officially a free agent this summer.
As reported by Football Insider, the 27-year-old could be part of a ‘surprise move’ for the Villans, who look to obtain another attacking talent following the addition of Moussa Diaby.
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Valued at €9.6m (£8.2m) by FootballTransfers, the Spaniard’s value has decreased significantly since his £18m move to Molineux in 2018, which should be a red flag for Villa’s pursuit.
How good is Adama Traore?
Described as a “beast” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the winger is one of the most challenging figures for defenders to come up against in one-versus-one situations on the flanks, however, his threat tends to end prematurely.
In 157 appearances for Wolves, the 5 foot 11 graduate from the infamous La Masia set-up netted just ten goals in the Premier League, highlighting his inefficiency in producing from his take-on efforts.
The Spaniard made just ten Premier League appearances for Villa during his time at Villa Park, ending a lacklustre stay with a move to Middlesbrough after just a year.
A return for the winger could be detrimental to the project that Emery is building with the club, with the player providing very little in his end product throughout the years in the top tier.
Earlier this year, pundit Jason Cundy posed the question on talkSPORT whether Traore was the “most frustrating player a manager could have”, with his poor form in registering goals and assists being a recurring theme for the explosive winger.
It wouldn’t be the first time that the Villans have obtained the services of a lacklustre player with sufficient talent, with Philippe Coutinho’s future in doubt after failing to live up to expectations at Villa Park.
The Brazilian has netted six times in the Premier League in 39 appearances for Villa, making for frustrating viewing for the side who expected to capture the once magical aura of the winger.
Emery could avoid a repeat of the disaster of the Coutinho transfer by swerving a move for Traore, who, unlike the former Liverpool ace, doesn’t have past accolades to fall back on to support his claim to form.
Throughout his career, the Spaniard’s highest-scoring season in England came in the 2017/18 campaign, in which he netted five times for Middlesbrough in the Championship.
For Villa, the ambition showed already in the window and on the field last term should be continued throughout the entirety of the summer, making a move for the dud could halt the tempo.
The club are reported to have the finances to bring in a further winger of moderate value, giving Emery and Monchi further options beyond exploring a deal to restore Traore’s stay in the Midlands.