Bertrand Traore says it only took one conversation with Cesar Peixoto to convince him that Wolves was the right place for him.
The wide man had a frustrating campaign with Sunderland last season due to injury, while the Old Gold were also extremely disappointed with how the 2025/26 campaign ended, which the wide man believes makes it a perfect fit.
The 31-year-old is now signed up to the challenge of mounting a promotion charge at Molineux, and having played there as an Aston Villa man in the past, Traore is now excited to be on the opposite side, exciting those in the stands wearing old gold.
On Peixoto being the right manager
“I had a conversation with him before taking any decision, and it was clear in my head that I wanted to get in. He is a straightforward manager, so when I heard about the interest, I tried to take some information about him. After the conversation with him, it just confirmed what I thought about him, that he's a top manager. In football, you can say whatever you want but you must put in the work on the pitch, so hopefully I will do the job.”
On playing at Molineux before
“I like this stadium – with my previous clubs the atmosphere was always nice. Every time I’ve come here, it's been always tough, when I used to play for Villa. I'm lucky now that I'm on the good side, so it's going to be nice. I have to fight for the team and then do my best.
“I am an exacting player, so I try to bring danger in the final third. It's not only about scoring but also helping the team to score. You don't have to be the goal scorer or the assist provider; you can also create the action for the girl. This is what I can bring to the team. I can't wait to get started and I can't wait to play my first game at the Molineux.”
On the move coming about
“Everything went fast. I was away training in Dubai and then I got back to England a few days ago, then I had a call from my brother about the interest of Wolves. It was important for me to stay in Europe, to stay in a competitive league and also a serious team. Unfortunately, they didn't have the best season last year, so they ended up in the Championship, but they're meant to be in the Premier League, and I think I’m also meant to be in the Premier League, so it is the perfect match. We have to put the work in together and achieve our goal.
“Finally, I can play football again – I was waiting for this moment, I’ve missed playing football. I've been injured since AFCON and tried to come back a little bit quicker. It didn't work out in March, but I managed to get back two weeks before the end of the season. I can't wait to be back on the pitch and enjoy football again.”
On a first Championship experience
“It is a big challenge for me. My main goal is to come here, perform and then help the team to get back to the Premier League. I haven’t played much since January because of the injury I got at AFCON, but I played ten games for Sunderland. Things were out of my control, but everything happens for a reason. I accept the challenge today, you can have a bad season and then get back on track the year after, so that's what I'm looking for, and we will do everything to get back to the Premier League.”
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