Image showing Nuno Espirito Santo and Adama Traore together at Wolves
Image showing Nuno Espirito Santo and Adama Traore together at Wolves
Adama Traore, so heavily linked with a West Ham United transfer and a Nuno Espirito Santo reunion, would surely have given Pep Guardiola a few pre-match jitters ahead of Manchester City’s midweek trip to Fulham.
Even the living, breathing oracle of football tactics could not find a way to stop him in full flow when Traore inspired Wolves’ stunning win away to Man City back in 2019.
For all of Guardiola’s genius, sometimes not even the most detailed tactical blueprint can stand in the way of blistering pace. Six years on, and even with his 30th birthday approaching, Adama Traore remains as ferociously thundering as ever.
Those waiting for him to add a ruthless, chart-leading end-product to that searing speed will be waiting forever, it seems. His brilliant Etihad brace in 2019 was very much the exception, rather than the rule, for a winger who has scored only 12 more Premier League goals in 255 further appearances.
But with Hammers News reporting that Nuno would like to work with Traore again at West Ham United, would he sign off as a Fulham player with another dazzling display of electrifying acceleration against Guardiola and Man City?
Well, no. No he wouldn’t.
Traore was not even in the squad as Fulham and City played out a staggering nine-goal thriller at Craven Cottage. In hindsight, this may be a decision Marco Silva regrets.
Traore’s unique brand of quicksilver chaos might have come in very handy as Fulham pushed to complete only the second 5-5 draw in Premier League history [the other being west Brom vs Manchester United in Sir Alex Ferguson’s 2013 farewell, of course].
Adama Traore during Fulham v Bristol City - Carabao Cup Second Round
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Fulham omit Adama Traore and West Ham United will surely have taken notice
According to club insider ExWhuEmployee, Fulham may sell Adama Traore for as little as £5 million in the January transfer window.
His contract expires next summer. And while Marco Silva talked up the prospect of tying down fellow winger Harry Wilson this week – he has ‘no doubts’ that the Welsh wizard will extend his stay in West London – it may be telling that he made no mention of Adama Traore.
The former Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Barcelona powerhouse was nowhere to be seen when Man City came to town either. He was left out of the matchday squad. As of yet, there has been no confirmation of any injury either.
In fact, since starting the 2-1 defeat by Newcastle in October, Traore has played only 18 minutes across the last five league matches. He did not get off the bench in the last two, though this was the first time he was omitted entirely.
That this has coincided with the sudden emergence of Samuel Chukwueze as a top-flight star – he hit a brace against City after providing assists in his previous two outings – is probably no accident. Seemingly behind Chukwueze, Wilson, Ryan Sessegnon, Kevin and the versatile Alex Iwobi, Traore appears to have slipped down to sixth in Marco Silva’s pecking order.
Nuno Espirito Santo explained why Traore is such a ‘unique’ talent
Now, the West Ham faithful would be justified in asking why on earth they would sign a sixth-choice forward from a team only two places ahead of them in the table. Nuno knows Traore better than most, though. If anyone can get him performing like his 2019 peak again, it may be the man who put him there in the first place.
“Adama is unique worldwide. He always has space to give things to the team,” Nuno during their time together at Molineux.
“His speed, his one-v-ones, there are not many players that can achieve these kind of performances. We need to adjust to exploit the maximum talent that Adama can give us.”
Nuno is all about platforming his wingers, and his most mercurial of talents. Nuno urged Crysencio Summerville to drive at defenders with every opportunity shortly after his appointment at West Ham. Stepping up a level in recent months, Summerville seems to be taking the manager’s advice on board.
Jermain Pennant talks up Traore to West Ham link
During Nottingham Forest’s successful European push, Nuno coaxed career-best results out of the previously wasteful Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga. Presuming his approach at West Ham is to construct a deep-lying, rapid-fire transitional outfit – the Hammers have tended to sacrifice possession under his stewardship – Traore could have a very important part to play.
“I think it would be a good move,” former Liverpool winger Jermain Pennant told talkSPORT, insisting that West Ham should back Nuno’s Traore pursuit. “When you have a manager who is so adamant on getting a certain player, a certain individual, I think that is for a reason.
“We know how powerful he is. Probably one of the quickest players I’ve seen. If you can nurture that and bring in some end product, there is a good player there.
West Ham United's XI from the 2007 win at Manchester United
West Ham United's XI from the 2007 win at Manchester United
“You can play him on the left, absolutely. [Traore is] a roadrunner. Speed, in this game right now, if you’ve got speed, you can go a long way. You can play him down the middle. Nuno can obviously see something there and thinks, ‘I can get an end product out of him’.
“When he was at Wolves with Nuno, there was a bit of end product! I guess Nuno is thinking he can get something out of him.”
In Traore’s defence, it was not only in the Old Gold of Wolves that he proved himself capable of creating chances at an impressive rate. His tally of seven Premier League assists for Fulham last season was his best since that aforementioned 2019/20 season under Nuno.
If Marco Silva has no use for him at Fulham, then there is one manager who will be only too happy to take Adama Traore off his hands.