Wolverhampton Wanderers showed on Wednesday night that they still have the fight and quality to compete with the best in the Premier League.
A 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Molineux was a result that raised spirits around the club, a gutsy showing that reminded everyone what the Wolves are capable of when things click.
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But for all the positivity generated by that performance against the Gunners, the bigger picture remains uncomfortable.
Rob Edwards' side are locked in a battle for survival, and with the season edging towards its final stretch, the club knows their drop to the Championship is coming with 17 points separating them from safety.
It is in that context that the club's recruitment team have been quietly working behind the scenes, casting an eye towards the summer and the business that may need to be done — regardless of where Wolves end up when the dust settles.
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They're frontrunners.
And it appears they have found a target they like.
Wolves eye move for 'perfect' target Yacine Titraoui
According to Sky Sport Switzerland and journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Wolves have set their sights on Yacine Titraoui.
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The 22-year-old Algerian midfielder is currently impressing in the Belgian Pro League with Sporting Charleroi, and the report claims that Wolves' head of recruitment has been tracking the player closely, with scouts sent to observe him on many occasions over recent months.
Titraoui, who was born in M'Sila and came through the academy at Paradou in Algeria, has made a real impression in Belgium since joining Charleroi.
Wolves apparently believe Titraoui would fit in 'perfectly' at Molineux, and they're seriously considering a bid.
This season alone, he has featured in 30 matches across all competitions, chipping in with four goals and two assists and recording an average rating of 7.21 — consistently one of the better performers in Charleroi's midfield engine room.
He is contracted at the club until June 2027, with an option to extend for a further year, and Transfermarkt currently values him at around five million euros.
Wolves are not the only English club keeping tabs on him, though.
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Leeds United have also been credited with an interest, while Sunderland had a look at him during the summer transfer window.
French clubs including Lille, Monaco, Nice and Toulouse have also been mentioned in connection with the player, as have sides from the Bundesliga.
However, there is a significant caveat hanging over any potential Wolves move — and it is one that brings the club's league position sharply back into focus.
Titraoui has made clear he has no desire to play Championship football.
Should Wolves fail to beat the drop, any interest they have shown would almost certainly come to nothing, with the midfielder expected to have no shortage of Premier League or top European alternatives to choose from.
That adds another dimension to an already nervy summer for Edwards. Now, it turns out he is resigned to missing out on a summer target, despite both Titraoui and Wolves' boss sharing the same agent.
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He's fallen out of favour under Rob Edwards...