Wolverhampton Wanderers have rejected a £3.5 million bid from Belgian club RSC Anderlecht for midfielder Boubacar Traore. The 25-year-old is now expected to remain at Molineux for the remainder of the summer transfer window.
Cesar Peixoto's side currently have several players unavailable, including Kieran Trippier, Rafiki Saïd, and Yerson Mosquera. This context adds to the importance of retaining squad depth. Traore, a defensive-minded player, has featured in both of Wolves' opening matches of the new season. He came off the bench in the Championship win against Preston North End and started the full 90 minutes in the 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday.
Selling Boubacar Traore for the reported £3.5 million would represent a significant financial loss for Wolverhampton Wanderers. The club originally signed the Mali international from FC Metz for a fee reported to be around €11 million in the summer of 2022, initially on loan. After a loan spell back at Metz last year, he returned to compete for a place. Letting him go for a fraction of his purchase price was not considered good business by the club's hierarchy.
Boubacar Traore is viewed primarily as a rotation option for the key defensive midfielder Andre. Jordan James, who arrived on loan from Stade Rennais, is the favourite to start alongside Andre in the engine room. The squad also contains other midfield options like Marshall Munetsi, Tommy Doyle, and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde. Questions persist over Bellegarde's future, while players such as Hwang Hee-chan and Sasa Kalajdzic are understood to be outside of manager Cesar Peixoto's plans. With a crowded department, some players could end up frustrated by a lack of action.
Traore brings experience from 35 Premier League appearances and time in Ligue 1 with Metz. His role is likely to involve providing cover and competing in cup competitions, as demonstrated by his start against Sheffield Wednesday.
The immediate expectation is that Boubacar Traore will stay with Wolverhampton Wanderers. It is not yet clear if RSC Anderlecht will return with an improved offer before the window closes. Other clubs, including Racing Santander and Portsmouth, have also shown interest in the player. His future beyond this season may depend on his performances in the opportunities he receives.
