Why Wolves must plot a summer swoop for Mouctar Diakhaby

Back in May 2019, French website L’Equipe (h/t The Sun) had claimed that Wolves were interested in signing Valencia defender Mouctar Diakhaby. However, no deal materialised before the start of 2019/20 Premier League campaign and the defender has since stayed put at Valencia.

Mouctar Diakhaby, 23, joined Valencia in the summer of 2018 from Lyon and endured a mixed debut season in Spain. He managed 37 games across all competitions but only managed 16 starts in the La Liga. The Frenchman hasn’t been able to nail down a spot in Valencia’s first-team this term as well, making only 13 league appearances till date.

Meanwhile, Wolves have performed really well this season and are aiming for a place in the top four. They have also made it to the Europa League’s round of 32 where Nuno Espirito Santo’s men are up against Espanyol. The Wanderers beat the Spanish side 4-0 in the first leg of the tie.

In Boly’s injury absence, the likes of Leander Dendoncker and Romain Saiss have filled in well at the back. Wolves are short on numbers at the back, having sold Kortney Hause to Aston Villa in the summer and allowed Ryan Bennett to join Leicester City on loan in January until the end of the season, with the Foxes having the option of a £5million permanent move. (h/t The Express and Star)

Also, Wolves’ decision to sign Jesus Vallejo on loan from Real Madrid didn’t work, with the defender failing to make an impact at the Molineux before returning to the Spanish club last month. With the Wanderers lacking depth in defence, Nuno should rekindle his interest in Mouctar Diakhaby during the summer transfer window.

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A product of Lyon’s academy, Diakhaby made 55 appearances in total in two seasons with the Ligue 1 club before Valencia signed him two years back. The move to Valencia hasn’t quite worked out for the centre-back but the Frenchman remains a quality player with untapped potential. He would bring much-needed depth in that area.

Verdict

Wolves boss Nuno must make it a priority to reinforce his backline ahead of the 2020/21 campaign. And signing Diakhaby from Valencia in the summer would be a smart move.