Wolves’ hopes of staving off relegation this season have been handed a big boost, as Boubacar Traore looks to have recovered from the injury that kept him out for much of the last two months.

What’s the latest on Boubacar Traore’s injury at Wolves?

Traore was brought in, initially on loan, from FC Metz during the summer transfer window before a clause was triggered which will see him become a permanent addition at Molineux on July 1st.

The Malian adds pace and dynamism in Julen Lopetegui’s midfield, something which the likes of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Mario Lemia all arguably lack, which suggests that he could still have a big part to play in the remaining top-flight games.

Since signing for the Old Gold, Traore has been limited to just eight appearances in the Premier League, in which he has averaged a disappointing 6.28 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

However, he caught the eye with a stunning goal in the Carabao Cup win over Leeds United ahead of the World Cup break and was rewarded with a start in the 2-0 defeat against Arsenal, which was his last appearance in a Wolves shirt.

The 21-year-old was expected to miss between one and two months with his latest injury concern, which has meant that he is yet to feature under new manager Lopetegui, but now he has been pictured back in full training, which suggests that he is contention to feature on Friday night when Wolves face Fulham.

Can Traore play a big part in the relegation battle?

While Lopetegui has helped to turn Wolves’ fortunes around since his arrival at Molineux – winning five of his first games in charge – last weekend’s disappointing defeat against Bournemouth has seen the Old Gold dragged back into trouble.

Despite his lack of appearances this season, Traore scores in the top ten for Wolves players with regard to a number of game-changing metrics, including interceptions, tackles and blocks per game.

That emphasises just what he can add from a defensive point of view, which a combative force exactly what Lopetegui will need in the remaining fixtures as the Old Gold fight to pick up points.

Matheus Nunes was expected to add energy to Wolves’ midfield following his club-record arrival from Sporting Lisbon but the Portuguese maestro has flattered to deceive so far this season, with no goals and just one assist to his name, with WhoScored awarding him a disappointing 6.56 rating for his performances in the Premier League.

Fortunately for Lopetegui, Traore has proven himself to be a “pressing and dribbling machine” in the words of analyst Liam Henshaw, and the 6-foot enforcer’s return from injury will certainly add more quality and competition to Wolves’ midfield.

That can only be a good thing as they look to avoid a disastrous and unthinkable return to the Championship this season.