Wolverhampton Wanderers have completed the signing of Emmanuel Agbadou from Stade de Reims for a fee of €18million plus €2m in add-ons (£14m; $18.8m)
Our writers — experts in transfers, tactics, data and football finance — have come together to rate January’s senior Premier League transfers. This is a continuation of the project we launched last summer, but we have also made some significant tweaks to how we assess each deal.
Gone are the five scores out of 100, and in their place are 10 ratings of 50. This should allow for much more nuance to be reflected in the analysis and, importantly, much more variability in the overall figure each transfer ends up with. Follow the link below for more background on the changes.
Tactical fit — 35/50
Agbadou has prominently featured as a left-sided centre-back in a back four this season for Reims but is right-footed and has experience playing in a back three from his time with Eupen in Belgium. Wolves fielded Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matt Doherty in their back three against Nottingham Forest on January 6, so Agbadou will surely be expected to slot into the right centre-back role almost instantly.
At Reims this season, the Ivory Coast international has impressed with his passing, averaging 65.9 attempts per 90 with an accuracy of 88 per cent. His 5.5 progressive passes place him in the top 10 per cent of Ligue 1 centre-backs and will be helpful for Vitor Pereira’s tactical setup.
Agbadou is an aggressive tackler who is unafraid to step out of the back line and close down attackers but can be rash with his challenges. He was sent off three times in his debut season with Reims and the only match he has missed in 2024-25 was due to a suspension for accumulating multiple yellow cards.
Simultaneously, though, Agbadou leads the back line well and frequently can be seen instructing his team-mates — something Wolves have lacked this season. Agbadou is reasonably strong in the air with a 61 per cent aerial duel success rate across two and a half seasons with Reims. Wolves, in contrast, are 13th in the league in that category, winning just 49 per cent of their aerial duels this season.
(Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty Images)
This is a signing the club have needed — but despite being 27, Agbadou boasts relatively limited experience in Europe, so his adaptation to the Premier League may not be as smooth as some may want.
Injury record — 45/50
Per Transfermarkt, Agbadou has suffered only one injury across his senior European career: a dead leg in February 2023 ruling him out for a month. Otherwise, he has been consistently available, which will be a big boost for Wolves given their injury concerns at centre-back.
He has, though, picked up several red cards, including three in his first season with Reims in 2022-23.
(Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images)
Market value — 30/50
A fee of €18million plus €2m in add-ons for a player at his peak with two-and-a-half-years left on his contract and a near-perfect injury record looks like a coup for Wolves, but Agbadou has played only 75 matches in Europe’s top five leagues, having spent time in Belgium and Tunisia prior to joining Reims in 2022.
Contract rationale – 27/50
Agbadou has been handed a four-and-a-half-year contract. Given the relative youth of some of their other centre-backs — Yerson Mosquera is 23 and Toti Gomes is 25 — and with Craig Dawson out of contract this summer, Wolves will value Agbadou’s experience in the next few months.
Recent form – 36/50
Agbadou has started and completed 14 of Reims’ 16 Ligue 1 matches this season, captaining them 10 times, with the team boasting the sixth-best defensive record (21 goals conceded).
Gap-filling – 48/50
Wolves have been crying out for a centre-back since Maximilian Kilman’s departure to West Ham last summer and Mosquera’s anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered five games into the season. By signing Agbadou, they are filling one of the biggest holes in their squad as they aim to steer clear of the relegation zone.
Excitement factor – 20/50
There is a simmer of excitement within the Wolves fanbase due to the necessity of this signing rather than Agbadou’s profile itself.
(Bruno Fahy/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Pereira’s arrival as manager has seen an uptick in form and performance levels, and an early-window signing that will improve the starting XI will be welcomed.
Future-proofing – 19/50
Agbadou will be 32 by the time his contract comes to an end in June 2029. He is a much-needed signing for the present, and Wolves are unlikely to recoup the fee they paid for him unless he overperforms expectations.
Rival impact – 24/50
Agbadou was not on the radar of Wolves’ rivals in this window, but the Premier League’s relegation-threatened teams will look at this move with a tinge of concern.
Wolves’ 31 goals scored is more than that of Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion, all of whom are in the top half. Their 45 goals conceded, though, is the worst in the league and the main reason they sit 17th. Should Agbadou’s arrival spearhead a defensive improvement, Wolves have shown they have the attacking firepower to put some distance between themselves and Everton, Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town and Leicester City.
Marketability – 8/50
Agbadou’s arrival is unlikely to bring too many opportunities for Wolves’ marketing department.
Overall rating — 292/500
(Header photo: Getty Images)
