‘Conor Coady’s Wolves return dream dashed by Michael Keane update at Everton’
Leicester City centre-back Conor Coady has surely been dealt a blow to remaining hopes he has of a return to Wolves in the summer transfer window.
Coady is of course something of a legend at Molineux, having spent seven years with the club between 2015 and 2022, winning promotion to the Premier League, where he helped establish them as a mainstay.
Late in this season’s winter transfer window, Wolves fans were said to have got “very excited” about the prospect of Coady returning to the club.
In the end though no deal materialised, with his current side Leicester apparently standing in the way of that deal despite the fact Coady was said to be “desperate” to return to Wolves.
Wolves still searching for new centre-back after Leicester block
While they missed out on Coady, Vitor Pereira’s side were still able to add a centre-back in the final hours of the window.
That came as Nasser Djiga completed a permanent move to Wolves from Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade.
Since making that move though, the 22-year-old has made only one Premier League appearance for the club, as a late substitute in the 1-0 win at Bournemouth.
It therefore appears as though Wolves are still looking to add options in the centre of defence when the transfer market opens again in the summer.
According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, the Old Gold are one of several sides from around the world who are now interested in signing Everton centre-back Michael Keane.
Michael Keane’s Everton future update a setback for Conor Coady
It would not be a surprise if Coady still harbours hopes of a return Wolves in the summer, given both his connection to the club, and the fact they are in line to stay in the Premier League at Leicester‘s expense.
However, this interest from the Molineux club in Keane can only be bad news for Coady if that is indeed the case.
If Wolves were to complete the signing of Keane in the summer, it will ease the pressure on them to go out and sign another centre-back such as their former player.
As it stands, Coady will have a year left on his contract at Leicester at the end of the season, and so given the Foxes made this deal hard to do earlier in the year, they may take that stance again this summer.
Indeed, if Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side are relegated back to the Championship, they may see the 32-year-old’s experience of winning promotion from that level as key, and be inclined to fight to keep him.
| Premier League position | Played | Points |
| 15. Everton | 28 | 33 |
| 16. West Ham | 28 | 33 |
| 17. Wolves | 28 | 23 |
| 18. Ipswich | 28 | 17 |
| 19. Leicester | 28 | 17 |
With other players surely likely to depart in the event of relegation, that too could add to their need to retain the England international while they have the chance to do so.
By contrast, Keane is out of contract with the Toffees in the summer, and is expected to be moved on in the summer.
That comes as the squad undergoes an overhaul with Everton expected to “attack” the transfer window under David Moyes and the Friedkin Group.
That ensures he will almost certainly be available on a free transfer come the summer, which could make him more affordable and attainable for Wolves than Coady.
Even if they are unable to get Keane given others are interested, it may be an indicator as to the direction they are looking to take with their business in the summer.
In that case, a reunion with Coady for Wolves that got so many excited just a few weeks ago, now looks less and less likely.