Will Tottenham finally make a move for Adama Traore?

With the transfer window drawing to a close, finally, after weeks of never-ending links to an exhaustive list of players, the inevitable rumour of Adama Traore to Tottenham has reared its head.

Ever since Nuno Espirito Santos’ appointment at the start of last season, Spurs have been continually linked with Traore, as the duo worked well together in their shared time at Wolves.

Rewind to January, and with Antonio Conte now in the dugout, Spurs reignited their interest in Traore and at one point his arrival seemed imminent, however a late offer from Barcelona saw the winger opt to rejoin his boyhood club.

After 17 games and just four assists for the Blaugrana, boss Xavi opted to pass on Traore’s buy-option, seeing the winger return to Wolves ahead of the 2022/23 season.

Unlike Nuno, Bruno Lage’s predecessor, Wolves current boss clearly sees Traore as dispensable; being happy for the Spaniard to join either Spurs or Barcelona back in January, whilst not starting him in any of their opening three league games this season.

Traore has just one year left on his current contract, so if ever, it is time for Tottenham to make a potentially cut-price move for their long-term target.

Conte is clearly an admirer of the winger, demonstrated simply by his willingness to bring him to North London back in January, but amongst the wider football community, he generally splits opinions.

Once described as being a “learner driver in a Ferrari”, Traore is a bizarre mix of pace, power, and skill but married with an overriding sense of chaos.

Outside of Newcastle’s Allan-Saint Maximin, with Traore’s lightning speed and almost inhuman build, it’s hard to think of a forward who causes such regular problems for opposition defenders.

However, his end product is too often non-existent, hence why the forward is such an enigma in modern-day football.

The Spaniard’s FB Ref profile makes for interesting reading, as he excels in just two areas; progressive carries and dribbles completed.

Naturally, these metrics go hand-in-hand, as Traore ranks in the top 1% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for dribbles completed, whilst putting up a staggering 10.12 progressive carries per 90.

Moreover, his versatility is certainly another point in his favour, as he is adept at playing both right-wing and right-wingback, even cameoing as a striker in the past.

If Conte can harness Traore’s strengths, there’s no doubting he could be an excellent addition for Tottenham, whether that be as a starting RWB or an impact player from the bench.

Compared to Emerson Royal, he offers a far greater attacking threat, however, he may be more vulnerable defensively which is certainly a drawback that Conte must consider.

Nevertheless, with his contract expiring this season if Traore is available on the cheap, it would hardly come as a surprise to see Tottenham make yet another approach for the Spaniard, as he offers cover for several positions as replaces the outgoing Bryan Gil.

With a week left in the window, this is certainly one to keep an eye on, as we can hope for some movement on what is quickly turning into a now drawn-out transfer saga.