Wolverhampton Signs Bertrand Traore to Strengthen Attack
Wolverhampton have moved decisively to beef up their attack, bringing in Burkina Faso international Bertrand Traore on a one-year deal that drags a familiar name back into English football.
The 31-year-old winger arrives at Molineux after a short spell with Sunderland, itself following a second stint at Ajax, and slots straight into a Wolves side trying to muscle their way out of the Championship at the first attempt.
A familiar face back in the Midlands
Traore knows this part of the country. He spent four seasons at Aston Villa, where he played more than 60 games and hit double figures in goals. Those years, plus a career spent hopping between major European clubs, give Wolves something they have been short of in wide areas: hardened, top-level experience.
For head coach Cesar Peixoto, this was not a luxury signing. It was a deliberate move to plug a gap.
"It's a position we wanted and he's a good player to improve the team, one more option," Peixoto told the club’s official channels, outlining exactly why Traore had been pushed to the top of the list. The coach wanted a left-footed wide player who can beat his man, carry a threat in behind and deliver in the final third. Traore ticks each of those boxes.
Peixoto spelled it out: "He has the right characteristics I want in this position - good one-versus-one, strong, left-footed to score or assist and fast to attack the space."
A well-travelled career
Traore’s journey to Molineux has been anything but quiet. Chelsea picked him up at 18, and he learned his trade on loan in the Eredivisie with Vitesse Arnhem before making his name at Ajax, where he helped the Dutch side reach the Europa League final.
From there, he moved to Lyon and put together a strong three-year spell in Ligue 1, enough to convince Aston Villa to pay £17 million for him in 2020. That fee underlined the regard in which he was held at the time – and Wolves are now gambling that there is still plenty left in the tank.
He will need time. Peixoto made clear that the winger is short of full fitness after training alone and still has to absorb the tactical demands of a new coach and a new dressing room. But the belief inside the club is that once he catches up, he can change games.
"He needs time to get fit because he's been working alone, and he needs time to know our idea of the game," Peixoto admitted. The payoff, though, could be significant: "He is another option to help us fight to get to the Premier League."
Captain of a nation, leader in a dressing room
Traore does not just bring a CV of big clubs. He brings a country with him.
With 91 caps for Burkina Faso and the armband at the recent Africa Cup of Nations, he remains a central figure for his national team. That leadership, that sense of responsibility on big stages, is exactly what Wolves hope will seep into a squad still adjusting to life outside the Premier League.
His presence should matter off the pitch as much as on it. A Championship season is long, unforgiving and often decided by how teams handle the grind rather than just the glamour.
Wolves mean business in the Championship
Relegated last season after an eight-year stay in the top flight that began with their 2017-18 Championship title win, Wolves know exactly how brutal this division can be. Their start underlines it: ninth in the table, eight points from five games, with two wins, two draws and a single defeat.
Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Birmingham was another reminder of the chaos that lurks in every fixture. Peixoto did not hide from that reality.
"Like we saw on Sunday, the Championship is very tough, so we need two players in each position to manage the games," he said.
That is where Traore comes in. Depth, variety, and a player who has felt the heat of European finals and international tournaments.
Now the question is simple: can that experience tilt a tight promotion race back in Wolves’ favour?
