Why Wolves should take a punt on Gaetan Laborde in January
According to Eurosport FR via GFFN (h/t Birmingham Mail), Wolves could make a move for Montpellier striker Gaetan Laborde in the January window to bolster their forward line.
Premier League rivals West Ham have also been credited with an interest in the 26-year-old while the Frenchman has also emerged as a target for several unnamed clubs in Germany this month. Montpellier are looking to raise some cash during the mid-season trading period and could sanction an exit for Laborde for a fee under £5m. (GFFN h/t Birmingham Mail)
That makes him a much cheaper alternative to Diego Costa as far as Wolves are concerned. The Spaniard is available for free following his release from Atletico Madrid but his £270,000-a-week wages remains a massive stumbling block for the Black Country club. (h/t Birmingham Mail)
Laborde started his career with Bordeaux while spending time on loan at Red Star, Clermont Foot and Brest in the lower divisions. He joined Montpellier in the top-flight back in 2018 and has since gone on to establish himself as a decent goalscorer in Ligue 1.
The towering hitman has caught the eye with his fine start to the 2020-21 campaign, accumulating 6 goals and 5 assists in 18 league appearances so far. In all competitions so far, Laborde has amassed 24 goals and 16 assists in 89 appearances for Montpellier.
Meanwhile, Wolves are in dire need of bringing in a new centre-forward this month. Talismanic No.9 Raul Jimenez has been ruled out for an indefinite period after suffering a skull fracture against Arsenal. Nuno Santo’s side forked out a staggering sum in the summer to secure Fabio Silva from Porto but the teenager has struggled to fill the void left by Jimenez.
Putting things into perspective, Gaetan Laborde would be well worth a punt for goal-shy Wolves in the winter market. The Midlands outfit have managed just 18 goals in 17 PL fixtures so far, epitomizing the need for some reinforcements to the forward line heading into a hectic second half of the season.
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Verdict
Wolves clearly need more goals to climb up the table and challenge for a return to Europe in the coming months. Gaetan Laborde has racked up some decent numbers in the French top-flight and would offer more variety to the club’s forward line with his powerful frame. He might not be the most high-profile option for Wolves but his low price tag makes him worth a gamble for Nuno Santo.
