Wolves handed boost as French club give green light for January transfer

Duje Caleta-Car Wolves Marseille

Bruno Lage’s Wolves have been given a boost in their pursuit of a Marseille defender, according to reports.

The West Midlands outfit brought in five new players during the summer transfer window, including Trincao from Barcelona and RB Leipzig forward Hwang Hee-chan. Both players have arrived on loan, although Hee-chan can be signed permanently next year if he manages to impress.

Wolves were looking to add a senior centre-back to their ranks but failed to do so. The only central defender they managed to capture was 20-year-old Yerson Mosquera, who looks like a decent player for the future.

One player closely linked with a switch to Molineux was Croatia international Duje Caleta-Car, who currently plays for Marseille in Ligue Un.

Reports as early as April claimed that they were open to offers for the 24-year-old. Despite this, Caleta-Car refused to move on, which prevented his club from bringing any new players in.

That angered Marseille and they subsequently considered punishing him for his actions. Potential sanctions included a demotion from the senior squad.

But French outlet L’Equipe (via Sport Witness) now report that Marseille have softened their stance.

They are willing to let Caleta-Car play over the next few months to protect his transfer value. That will allow them to command a decent fee if he does leave.

Duje Caleta Car of Croatia

Marseille are also worried about the legality of dropping the player to the reserves, as it may contradict his contract terms.

The report claims that the French outfit are still looking to sell Caleta-Car in January, which means a transfer to Wolves could be on the cards.

The Sibenik-born defender joined Marseille from Red Bull Salzburg in July 2018. He has made 91 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring three goals.

Wolves to act fast on star player

Wolves’ top priority at the moment is tying down Adama Traore to a bumper new deal.

The Spain international, 25, has long been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham. There were rumours of a £39m move to Spurs on deadline day, although it never materialised.

Wolves are desperate to keep hold of their star man and are soon expected to open contract negotiations, as per The Athletic.

Traore’s current deal expires in June 2023 and is worth a reported £43,000 a week.

READ MORE: Wolves endure mixed fortunes with one deal through, two collapse late