Wolverhampton Wanderers could be set to lose one of their most influential players to a Premier League rival…
What’s the word?
According to Sky Sports, club captain Conor Coady could be set for a return to Merseyside. With Everton interested in the defender, the Old Gold remain keen on keeping the England international at the club.
However, due to the arrival of Nathan Collins, they appreciate that the skipper’s minutes will be reduced this season. Therefore, there is the potential that the 29-year-old could become the sixth player to leave Molineux for good this summer.
It would be a huge mistake
Coady has been instrumental in Wolves’ resurgence from a Championship team to an established Premier League outfit.
Having captained the club since their promotion in 2018, his adaptability, leadership and influence on the field cannot be understated. To lose this kind of figure could have a huge effect on the dressing room and must be avoided at all costs.
The defender has featured 317 times for the Old Gold and can be regarded as something of a cult hero around Molineux.
Should Wolves let Conor Coady go?
It boggles the mind how Bruno Lage is willing to sacrifice the man who only last season played in every one of their Premier League games. He was at the heart of a Wolves team which conceded just 43 goals, the fewest of any team who finished outside the top four.
Described as a “perfect leader and organiser” by Tim Spiers, the journalist further outlined some of the qualities that Lage would lose and Everton would be delighted to gain if Coady were to swap Molineux for Goodison Park – “clearing shots off the line”, “he’s become more aggressive”, “winning duels”, “kept physical strikers (Antonio and Wood) quiet.”
Whilst the 29-year-old’s supposed replacement Collins is a skilful defender who can come up with stunning moments, the motivating qualities that Wolves would lose if the captain were to depart could be catastrophic, while they would also be strengthening a direct rival in Everton.
Having lost five and drawn two of their final seven Premier League fixtures last season, Lage’s team were seemingly in freefall.
Starting the new season in that kind of wretched form could see them dragged into a relegation scrap, and without Coady, it could really emphasise just how huge a mistake it might be to allow him to leave.
