Expert insights
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Wolves have kicked off the January transfer window with the signing of Stade Reims centre-back Emmanuel Agbadu. On Thursday morning, the Premier League side confirmed they had signed the 27-year-old defender on a four-and-a-half-year deal (with an option for an additional 12 months), following a deal that had been predicated on a transfer. There will be a fee of approximately 18 million euros and an additional 2 million euros in add-ons. Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs said in a club statement: “Emmanuel is a winner and motivated. After his journey, he is still incredibly hungry.” . He’s the type of player Wolves fans should love because he can have absolutely everything he has. ” But who is Agbadu and can he help Wolves break out of their current rut near the bottom of the league table?
How strong is Emmanuel Agbadu?
Agbadu moved to Reims in the summer of 2022, with the French club signing him from KAS Eupen for 2.6 million euros, and has been a regular starter for the mid-table club ever since. Over the past two-and-a-half years, Agbadu’s market value has steadily risen from €2.5 million to now €10 million, meaning Wolves may be paying a bit too much for the 27-year-old central player. It would suggest that. Defender. And a closer look at his reputation in France would suggest that the Premier League side may be signing a player who is available right away, rather than one at the top of their wish list. . “Agbadu is one of the easiest players to sell at the Stade de Reims,” says Transfermarkt Ligue 1 expert Joachim Durand, who believes the Ligue 1 side are quite happy with the sale of their first-choice central defender. He pointed this out when asked why it seems like there is. “Many clubs have expressed interest in him over the past few years, but it never materialized and he was on the brink of leaving. Now is the right time, before his value plummets due to age. Indeed, rather than signing a prospect who will take months or even years to adapt to the physical demands of the Premier League, Wolves are looking for a ready-to-play player who can be brought into Vitor Pereira’s squad right away. We’ll have to look for players. And this is where Agbadu could be a smart signing for the Timberwolves.
“Agbadu is known for his strength and solidity in one-on-one situations, but he is also a defender who is good on the ball, Duran added. “He can dribble with the ball and break down the opposition’s line. That’s why he sometimes plays as a midfielder.” Wolves acquired ball-playing central defender Maximilian Kilman in the summer transfer window. Still reeling from selling to Ham, those qualities will be welcome at Molineux. In Agbadu’s case, the club could sign a player who is comfortable dribbling the ball and making the passes needed to get his team up the park. And there is little doubt that Reims’ starters can cope with the physical demands of being a Premier League defender. When asked if Agbadu was ready for a move to England, Duran said: “I think his qualities are perfect for the Premier League.” However, there are some aspects of Pereira’s game that he may need to work on in the coming months. “It must be noted that he is already 27 years old,” Duran added. “He is not a young talented player and his room for improvement is limited. Even if he has made progress in this area in recent years, he needs to improve his concentration and reduce his carelessness.”
Why did the Wolves sign Emmanuel Agbadu?
As mentioned above, the sale of Kilman to West Ham in the summer has all but been identified as where Wolves’ problems really began this season, with central defender Jelson Mosquera suffering a serious injury to his anterior cruciate ligament. It has become abundantly clear that this is likely to happen to Premier League clubs following their defeat. They need to sign a central defender in the January transfer window. Combine this with the fact that new manager Pereira has favored a back three in defense since joining the English club, and the fact that the club has scored 45 goals in 20 league games so far this season. Combined, Wolves only had a back three in goal. Central defenders were selected for three central defender positions in the starting lineup, but there was no great confidence in any of them. As such, not only is the signing of Agbadu seen as a must, but further defensive reinforcements could be made in the coming weeks.
