Barcelona have reportedly turned down the chance to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore on a permanent deal this summer.
The Spanish international left Molineux in January after struggling for regular minutes this season under Bruno Lage, with Traore returning back to former club Barcelona for the rest of the season. When Traore departed, the terms of the deal included an option for Xavi’s side to sign Traore permanently for a fee of €30m (£25.3m) this summer.
The 26-year-old has started just three times in La Liga since his move and it is now being reported that Traore’s stay in Spain is not being extended. As reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona have opted against triggering their extension option on Traore and he will return to Wolverhampton when the season expires.
The report also suggests that Traore may again leave Wolves once his loan deal expires, suggesting that his long-term future may be away from Bruno Lage’s side. It has also been reported elsewhere that Portuguese forward Trincao, currently on loan at Wolves from Barcelona, will return to Catalonia in the summer, with Wolves opting not to sign him on a permanent deal.
The 22-year-old has played 25 times in the Premier League this season, a run that has included 16 league starts, but he has scored just once in England’s top-flight. He has also added just one assist in the league.
Wolves currently find themselves eighth in the Premier League table and only three points behind West Ham United in seventh, giving them a chance of qualifying for the Europa Conference League. Wolves also have a game in hand on the Hammers.
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Wolves have four games left in their season to earn a return to European football next season. However, they are one of just three Premier League teams to have lost each of their last three games, alongside already-relegated Norwich City and Watford, who are set to be relegated this weekend.
The Old Gold’s hopes of qualifying for the Europa League are all but over following the last three defeats, but Wolves can still get into Europe’s third club competition should they end the season well.
Lage’s side’s fixtures are by no means favourable, with their last four including meetings with each of the top three teams in the Premier League.
They head to Chelsea on Saturday, just four days before hosting current league leaders Manchester City at Molineux. Their penultimate game of the campaign comes at home to Norwich before a trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool on the final day of the season.
In the 2019/20 season, Wolves qualified for the Europa League and got to the quarter-final stage in what was their first season in the competition since it was called the UEFA Cup in the 1980/81 campaign.
Wolves’ star midfielder Ruben Neves could also be on the way out of the West Midlands this summer, having been linked with interest from Manchester United recently.
