Portsmouth Enter Race for Wolves Midfielder Boubacar Traore as Pompey Seek Defensive Midfield Solution
Portsmouth are reportedly exploring the possibility of signing Wolves midfielder Boubacar Traore as they continue their search for reinforcements in the defensive midfield position before the summer transfer window closes.
According to transfer specialist Alan Nixon, who reported the development through his Patreon account, Portsmouth have made an enquiry about the Mali international. Traore has reportedly been given permission by Wolves to look for a new club after falling out of favour at Molineux.
The 25-year-old midfielder recently returned to Wolves following a loan spell with French Ligue 1 side Metz, the club he previously represented before making his move to England. Although Traore was given an opportunity to impress new Wolves manager Cesar Peixoto during pre-season, featuring in three matches, he was not included in the squad for the club’s final pre-season fixture against Racing Santander.
His absence has continued into the competitive campaign. Traore was left out of Wolves’ matchday squad for their Carabao Cup meeting with Port Vale and was also unavailable for their Championship clash with Blackburn. With the midfielder now free to negotiate with potential new clubs, Portsmouth have emerged as one of the teams showing interest.
Spanish side Racing Santander are also believed to be monitoring the situation. Both Racing and Portsmouth are reportedly considering a loan deal for Traore, who has entered the final year of his Wolves contract.
However, Wolves are said to favour a permanent transfer rather than another temporary arrangement. The Midlands club would like to recover at least part of the £11 million they invested in signing Traore from Metz in 2023.
For Portsmouth, the potential move would address an area of the squad that manager John Mousinho is keen to strengthen. The Blues have already missed out on two significant targets for the defensive midfield role during the current transfer window.
One of those targets was Voldenam midfielder Gibson Yah, but Portsmouth were unable to complete an agreement for the former Ajax player. Yah ultimately remained in the Championship after completing a move to Bristol City.
Pompey also recently ended their pursuit of Jesper Ceesay. The club had agreed a deal worth around €800,000, including potential add-ons, with Turkish second-tier outfit Antalyaspor for the Swedish-born Gambia international. However, Portsmouth were unable to secure the necessary work permit, forcing them to abandon the proposed transfer.
The need for additional midfield depth was highlighted during Portsmouth’s opening league fixture against QPR. Rocco Shein started alongside Ebou Adams in the centre of midfield, but the pair were unable to prevent the visitors from securing a 3-1 victory at Fratton Park.
Marlon Pack could provide another option for Mousinho in the coming weeks. The experienced 35-year-old has returned to full training after recovering from knee surgery and could potentially feature when Portsmouth travel to Lincoln on Saturday.
Luke Le Roux is another midfielder available to the Portsmouth boss. However, like Traore, Le Roux has reportedly been told that he can explore opportunities elsewhere before the transfer window closes.
Traore’s history at Wolves began with an initial loan move to the club in the summer of 2022. After making 11 first-team appearances during that campaign, including 10 Premier League outings, Wolves decided to make the transfer permanent in 2023 for a reported £11 million.
The midfielder subsequently enjoyed a more regular role during the 2023-24 campaign, making 24 appearances in the Premier League. However, his position within the Wolves squad changed the following season, with then-manager Vitor Pereira allowing him to return to Metz on loan.
Now back at Molineux but seemingly outside Wolves’ immediate plans, Traore could be approaching another move away from the club. Portsmouth’s interest could give the midfielder an opportunity to remain in the Championship while also providing Pompey with the defensive midfield presence they have been searching for.
With the transfer window approaching its conclusion, Portsmouth will now have to determine whether a loan arrangement can be agreed or whether Wolves’ preference for a permanent sale will prove decisive.
Traore’s current market valuation is significantly below the fee Wolves paid for him, with Flashscore placing his estimated value at around €3.7 million. Nevertheless, Wolves are understood to be keen to maximise the return on their investment, while Portsmouth will have to weigh up the financial implications of any potential deal.
The coming days could therefore prove important in determining whether Traore becomes the latest midfielder to arrive at Fratton Park, as Pompey continue to work on strengthening their squad before the transfer deadline.
