Benik Afobe slams 'disrespectful' Wolves
Benik Afobe has slammed 'disrespectful' Wolves for embarrassing him during this summer's transfer saga – and says he had no idea he'd be sold.
Wolves signed Afobe for the second time this year when exercising a £10million option following last season's loan spell in which the 25-year-old scored six goals and helped Nuno Espirito Santo's team win promotion.
However just 10 days later Afobe was sold to Championship side Stoke City in a £12m deal. He's on loan at the bet365 Stadium until January when the Potters have an obligation to pay.
In the surface it looks like all parties could have been aware of what was about to happen when Wolves signed Afobe on June 1.
Afobe though says Wolves made him believe he was part of their plans this season.
"It was disrespectful," Afobe told the Sun. "I've got a baby daughter and a heavily pregnant wife. The last thing we needed was to be messed about.
"It also caused embarrassment – everywhere I went football fans would ask about it and I've had to justify myself to not look stupid.
"I want to put the record straight because people are thinking Wolves were under an obligation to sign me. They weren't.
"The deal was simple, I was loaned from Bournemouth until the end of the season and Wolves had an option to sign me for £10m in the summer.
"If they didn't want to, they could say 'no thanks'.
"I had done well, scored six goals in seven starts and Wolves went ahead with it. They made me believe I was part of their plans.
"I did the medical, signed the contract and thought 'great, I'm happy'.
"Then four days later my agent told me 'the manager wants to bring in a few strikers and isn't going to play you'.
"From the moment I spoke to (Gary Rowett) when I was away with the Congo national team, he has been a top man.
"He has good man-management skills that can get the best out of players.
"As a manager, it must be tough dealing with 25 or more different personalities.
"But he told us, 'my door is always open — any time, day or week, even on days off I’ll be there for you. I’ll be honest with you as much as I can'.
"All you want is honesty and fairness. Life isn’t always fair — we know that — but it’s nice to know the manager will tell you the truth."
