Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Cesar Peixoto has publicly confirmed that Bertrand Traore is set to join the Championship club, describing the deal as all but done after Sunday's 2-2 draw with Birmingham City at St Andrew's.

Peixoto speaks openly on deal

"It's going to happen," Peixoto told BBC Radio WM shortly after the final whistle. "It's one more player with quality. It's the winger that we need, with a left foot like I want. The player will come to improve the team like I want. We find the right name to put in the right area."

Those are unusually direct words from a head coach on an incoming transfer, and they carry real weight given the source: Peixoto himself, post-match, on the record. There is little in the way of wiggle room here. According to the report from BBC Sport, the 31-year-old Burkina Faso international is understood to be on his way to Wolves imminently.

Who is Traore and what does he bring?

Traore arrives as a free agent, having been released by Sunderland at the end of last season after the club opted not to take up the one-year option on his contract. His campaign there was limited: BBC Sport reports he made 12 appearances but only two of those came after the turn of the year, suggesting he was not a central figure for the Black Cats in the second half of the season.

The winger spent three years at Aston Villa after signing from Lyon in September 2020 for a reported fee of £17 million under then-manager Dean Smith. He subsequently moved to Villarreal on a free transfer in January 2024 before a spell at Ajax in the Netherlands, and then linked up with Sunderland on a one-year deal twelve months ago. The breadth of clubs on his CV speaks to a career that has seen him circulate across European football.

At 31, Traore is an experienced wide option whose primary asset, according to Peixoto, is his ability on the left. That specificity is telling: the Wolves head coach appears to have identified a precise positional and technical gap in his squad, and Traore is the player he believes fills it.

Squad implications

Peixoto also hinted at the administrative logistics of the deal, suggesting Traore's arrival may come at the cost of a squad place. It is thought, according to BBC Sport, that the winger could take the place of 27-year-old Santiago Bueno in Wolves' 25-man Championship squad for the remainder of the season.

"We are still going to have to talk about that, but he's coming in," Peixoto said, indicating the paperwork and squad registration are yet to be finalised but that the personal terms and intent are settled.

The promotion context

Wolves are among the clubs with ambitions in the second tier this season, and Peixoto framing Sunday's result against Birmingham City as context for this signing is significant. A 2-2 draw in a fixture they might have expected to win underlines why adding an experienced wide option feels pressing. A player who has operated at the level Traore has, even if his most recent campaign was stop-start, represents a different profile from what Wolves currently carry in those areas.

Whether Traore can recapture the form that made him a sizeable investment earlier in his career remains to be seen. But as a free addition to a squad with promotion in its sights, the risk-reward calculation for Wolves looks straightforward. Peixoto clearly believes he has found the right name for the right area, and for now, his public confidence in the deal is the clearest signal of all.

Frequently asked

Is Bertrand Traore signing for Wolves?
Yes, according to BBC Sport, Wolves manager Cesar Peixoto has confirmed the deal is happening, describing Traore as a free-agent winger who will join the Championship club imminently.
What clubs has Bertrand Traore played for?
Traore has played for Aston Villa, Villarreal, Ajax and Sunderland, among others. He joined Villa from Lyon in 2020 for a reported £17 million and has been a free agent since leaving Sunderland.
Which position does Bertrand Traore play and how does he fit into Wolves' squad?
Traore is a left-sided winger. Wolves manager Peixoto specifically cited his left foot as the quality the squad needed. He is expected to take a place in the club's 25-man Championship squad, potentially at the expense of Santiago Bueno.