Phil Hay: No direct contact between Leeds and Wolves for Adama Traore
There has been no direct contact between Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers about Adama Traore, according to The Athletic journalist Phil Hay.
Duncan Castles of The Times reported last week that the Elland Road side had submitted a £30million bid for the 25-year-old Spanish international.
Wolves are said to be keen on selling Traore, but the player wants to join a Champions League side ahead of Leeds.
Asked on The Athletic website about the links to the attacking midfielder, Hay replied: “I saw the talk over the weekend of a £30 million offer for Traore (somebody Orta knows pretty well).
“But from what we’re hearing at The Athletic, there’s been no direct contact between Leeds and Wolves about him. And I’m far from convinced that Traore is a Bielsa player anyway. I can’t see it.”
Ruled out
Leeds wanting Traore has never really looked unbelievable, and having a reliable source pour cold water on the reports is all we needed to hear.
While breaking the £27million transfer record is set to happen sooner or later, we do not see the club doing so on a winger who ended last season with two Premier League goals and two assists.
Traore has massive potential no doubt and can become a world-class talent under the right tutelage, but he simply does not fit the bill at Elland Road.
It remains to be seen whether we would bring in an attacker this summer, but it is now clear as day that it would not be the Spaniard.
We do not expect the Whites to spend £30million on a winger too as it appears head coach Marcelo Bielsa is only looking for one to provide cover and competition, and not one to necessarily walk into the starting XI.
There are still some 27 days left in the summer transfer window, and Leeds still have time to land the perfect player.
Another name could still emerge with a deal for the known targets in the department proving difficult, and we are excited to see what happens about the transfer activities in the coming days.
In other Leeds news, Whites want to sign centre-mid & attacker from CL side, club could be tempted to cash in.