Why signing their former £2million star is an unproductive move by the Wolves

Why Benik Afobe Is An Unnecessary Signing For Wolves

Most Wolves fans would have expected a fairly quiet deadline day, they had strengthened their side early in the window and they are walking away with the Championship. Their fans were able to look down on the teams below scrabbling around for players with glee.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, came the signing of former player Benik Afobe, who returned to Molineux for his second stint at the club. This unexpected move has had a lot of Wolves fans talking and remembering his first spell in the West Midlands.

Who is Afobe?

Benik Afobe was a product of the Arsenal youth academy and although he never made an appearance for the Gunners in the league there was interest from Barcelona when he signed his first professional contract.

Afobe went to six different EFL clubs on loan during his time at Arsenal and despite a fruitful spell at MK Dons, not many of them had worked out well. So when Wolves signed him in 2015 it was a big risk for a side that had often relied on loan forwards, and the outlay of a reported £2million was enough to ensure that he had to make an impact for Wolverhampton.

At the time, Wolves were nothing like the side they are now. They were just recovering from back to back relegations and Kenny Jackett’s side was not fully equipped for the Championship. Afobe was expected to hit the ground running, and he did.

That season, Wolves only missed out on the playoffs on goal difference with Afobe providing 13 vital goals. Despite this he didn’t stay long in the West Midlands, Bournemouth and the Premier League came calling in January of 2016 and he was off, leaving behind quite a few angry Wolves fans at the time.

All that has now been forgotten with Afobe coming back to Molineux, and perhaps he will be a useful addition to the squad. But with the squad playing so well and Afobe unlikely to still be there when they make it to the Premier League, what is this signing for other than nostalgia?

Afobe is certainly a strong and impressive player but will most likely be providing cover for the impressive Wolves front line, which is surely not what the player wants. It might feel like a homecoming for the Wolves fans but it seems an odd decision from a board that has so far got so much right.