Adama Traore not drawn on Wolves future after scoring winner against Tottenham
The forward’s contract at Molineux expires in the summer.
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Your support makes all the difference.Adama Traore refused to be drawn on his future and vowed to focus on Wolves’ survival fight.
The forward’s first goal since October earned Wolves a crucial 1-0 win over Tottenham on Saturday.
It lifted them five points clear of the Premier League’s relegation zone after a fourth win in eight games.
Traore – linked with Tottenham and Leeds last month – is out of contract in the summer and talks have dragged on with no agreement but he remains committed to keeping the club up.
“My mindset is to give everything to the team, after we will see. I’m always happy with Wolves and the manager,” he said.
“My focus is 100 per cent game by game. My focus is on the pitch. After, I will leave that to my agent, we have a great relationship through the years.
“My mentality is to make an impact and get points, keep working and keep winning.”
Traore has made just two league starts under Julen Lopetegui – and only four in all competitions since November.
The 27-year-old, who was loaned to Barcelona last season, came off the bench again on Saturday and wants more game time but respects Lopetegui’s decisions.
“Every player wants to start games. No player in the world doesn’t want to start a game,” he said.
“But when I come on I want to give 100 per cent to the team. That’s not my decision. What I can control is when I’m on the pitch making an impact and trying to help the team.
“That is what I do, whether I’m coming from the bench or not coming from the bench. That’s the decision of the gaffer, I respect the gaffer. All I do is try and improve myself as a player and whatever the team tell me I will be there.”
Tottenham missed the chance to go seven points clear of fifth-placed Newcastle in the race for the Champions League after Traore’s late winner.
Antonio Conte has also returned to work after the defeat following his recovery from gallbladder surgery.
Spurs have played two more games than most of their top-four rivals and Ben Davies knows just reaching the Champions League may now not be enough for the club.
He said: “It’s a tough question. Our ambitions are obviously a bit more than that. We want to win trophies, we’ve let that slip this year.
“The Champions League is a good achievement, that’s where the club wants to be year in, year out. That has to be our baseline.
“We’re really looking forward to getting him (Conte) back. It’s been a while now but we have a huge game Wednesday (against AC Milan) and it is very important he is with us.”