Wolverhampton Wanderers star Adama Traore is carrying too much weight according to former Premier League full-back Jose Enrique.
The Spaniard has been linked with a move to a top-six club in recent years having showcased an amazing ability to go past players as though they’re not there.
But as explosive as Traore can be, he isn’t very consistent, and 2020/21 has undoubtedly been a disappointing season for the 25-year-old.
He is yet to provide any goals or assists in the Premier League, and before Daniel Podence’s injury, he wasn’t an automatic starter.
In the eyes of fellow Spaniard Enrique, Traore might be too heavy.
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Speaking to the Mirror about his own body issues during his playing days, he said: “Sometimes I pushed myself too much and to be honest, I was too big.
“I was quick, people couldn’t pass me one-v-one, but I believe, for a footballer, it is better to be slim.
“Everyone loves Adama Traore, for example, but his body is why he doesn’t play for a big team.
“He cannot run for 90 minutes up and down the pitch because it doesn’t let him, he is carrying too much weight. A footballer is not meant to be that strong.
“It is something that I regret. The fitness coaches at Liverpool told me I was too big.”
Traore’s physique is not the issue
Traore has played 90 minutes 14 times so far this season for Wolves in what has been a frantic season.
That suggests he doesn’t really have any stamina issues. His in-game bursts can perhaps make it look like he is flagging sometimes.
The reasons behind Traore’s lack of consistency could be down to the system, making poor decisions or lacking viable options in the middle when he does deliver.
Traore – who cost a reported £18 million (BBC Sport) – undoubtedly has a lot of work to do to reach the next level, but arguably it’s the technical side of his game that needs getting up to speed, rather than him needing to shift a bit of weight as Enrique is suggesting.