Wolves signed exciting Mali midfielder Boubacar Traore on a season-long loan during the summer of 2022, holding an option to turn the move permanent the following summer, which will also happen automatically should certain clauses be triggered.

Having impressed for Metz in Ligue 1 last season despite their relegation struggles, the 21-year-old makes the switch to the Premier League by agreeing a move to Molineux.

Primarily a defensive-minded central midfielder, Traore’s energy and workrate came to the fore in Ligue 1, where his pressing and tackling stats were among some of the highest in Europe’s top five leagues, while the youngster has also excelled when bringing the ball forwards.

Traore moves to the West Midlands having broken through from Metz’s youth side before going on to make 27 appearances in the top flight of French football last season.

Before developing France, he started his career with hometown club AS Bamako back in Mali, but in 2019 he made the switch to Metz, featuring for the club’s reserve team in the fourth tier, Championnat National 2.

Alongside playing for Metz II, Traore was also named on the bench in Ligue 1 during his early years at the club, but he made the breakthrough to the first-team at the end of the 2020/21 season, scoring his first senior goal away at FC Lorient a week after his debut top-flight appearance.

The Mali under-23 international was a standout player for Metz during the previous campaign, finding the net once again to earn his former side an impressive 1-1 draw with Lyon, although he was unable to stop their drop into the second tier.