Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Sat 30 May 2026 14:00, UK

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Adama Traore moved to West Ham United from Fulham in January for up to £2million on an initial six-month deal.

The move also included an option for an additional year, but the Hammers are yet to take it up after suffering relegation last week.

Traore made 12 appearances for West Ham in the second half of the season, claiming a solitary assist in the FA Cup before he was injured in May.

The Spaniard has hardly done enough to earn the additional year of his contract, but the Irons must weigh up his potential value to their Championship campaign.

His pace and his power could well sway West Ham transfer chiefs, while his wages must also be taken into consideration.

Adama Traore enjoyed a brief Championship stint

Former Hammers scout Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider in March that Traore was eyeing a move away from West Ham in the summer, but he will not be flooded with options.

A newly promoted Premier League club may well take a chance on the 30-year-old, but he is by no means guaranteed a move.

With that in mind, the Spaniard will be hoping that West Ham ultimately decide to activate the additional year in his contract, and they would have some good reason to.

Traore’s brief experience in the Championship came with Middlesbrough when he arrived on a permanent deal from Aston Villa in 2016.

Boro were relegated in the Spaniard’s first season, and failed in the play-off semi-finals in their first attempt to go back up.

Traore’s brilliant second half of the campaign was much of the reason they even had a chance, however. The forward netted five goals and provided 10 assists, with all but two of them coming after January.

And it was his unbelievable ability to carry the ball that caught the eye. Traore registered an astonishing 243 dribbles completed, with an unheard of 80.2 per cent success rate.

Adama Traore has been nominated for the @PFA Championship Player of the Month for April 👏 #UTB pic.twitter.com/4IQjUNo1QZ

— Middlesbrough FC (@Boro) May 7, 2018

The performance earned him an £18million move to Wolves in the summer, and it could well save what remains of his West Ham career.

Traore will have Nuno Espirito Santo in his corner

Nuno Espirito Santo was undoubtedly behind the decision to bring Traore in, with the Portuguese boss having used him extensively at Wolves.

Speaking in 2019, he said: “Adama is unique worldwide. He always has space to give things to the team. His speed, his one-versus-one, there are not many players that can achieve these kind of performances.

Adama Traore making memories in Manchester.

📅 #OnThisDay | @wlv_uni pic.twitter.com/66JQ8V45s1

— Wolves (@Wolves) October 6, 2025

He added: “We don’t have to persuade him, what we need to do is make him believe. Make him realise and the team itself that he is different. We need to adjust to exploit the maximum talent that Adama can give us.”

That same attitude may well still prevail as West Ham prepare for the Championship, although the decision may well be taken out of Nuno’s hands.