Chelsea are reportedly ready to rival Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Adama Traore in January.
According to Dean Jones on the Football Terrace, Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur are set to face fresh competition from his former club Chelsea in the pursuit of Adama Traore. It appears the Wolves attacker has emerged as an ideal solution for Thomas Tuchel as he looks to add a new right wing-back to his squad this month.
Tottenham are regarded as the front-runner in the race to sign Adama Traore, especially amid reports suggesting a potential £18 million attempt from the North Londoners. However, Chelsea are looking to hijack the deal at the last minute and sign the Spaniard as a cover for James, whose hamstring injury has ruled him out of action for a considerable period.
Chelsea have been linked with a move for Barcelona sensation Sergino Dest. But Tuchel believes Adama Traore could be a more reliable option due to his experience in English football, coupled with his robust nature of play and the ability to cause problems for the opposition defence.
On top of his sheer strength and attacking qualities, the Spaniard is blessed with an electric pace that makes him a scourge for the defenders on the counter. It has made him an appealing target for Tuchel, who is preparing for a mass exodus in the defensive unit in the summer, with up to four players, including Antonio Rudiger facing an uncertain future at the club.
However, Tottenham remain the favourites in the race to sign Traore as they are willing to offer Wolves target Matt Doherty in a potential exchange deal involving the two. The player himself is more likely to play regularly at Spurs, even though he may still have to compete with Emerson Royal for a place in the starting eleven.
Although a part-exchange deal involving Doherty will be preferred, the Lilywhites are open to a cash transaction as well. They may need to offload some of their fringe players in order to fund the transfer, though, with Steven Bergwijn among the players likely to be sacrificed.
The Dutchman is expected to leave Tottenham in January, with Newcastle United among the clubs keen on securing his services. In addition to Bergwijn, Tanguy Ndombele should depart as well amid interest from AS Roma, coached by former boss Jose Mourinho. It now remains to be seen whether Spurs can act swiftly in their pursuit of Adama Traore once they wrap up their outgoing transfers.
