How it could have been touchdowns for Wolves' Adama Traore

The 23-year-old winger has been giving defenders nightmares with his speed and strength.

And the potential to be an NFL star was seen in the Spaniard when growing up at Barcelona.

Wolves team-mate Romain Saiss had told RMC Sport that American Football teams had approached Traore in his teens.

While it turned out Traore was not directly approached, Traore admitted there had been interest in gridiron.

“Yes, that happened,” said the flying forward.

“When I was in Barcelona, my personal trainer at the time told me he had a friend from the USA.

“He said why can’t I go there to try the testing that they do.”

Given Traore’s exceptional physical attributes, there is reason to believe he could succeed in the NFL.

He was not contacted by a specific team, though. “No, he (my personal trainer) just told me that. I was 17, probably,” said Traore.

Traore has caught the eye this term by scoring four goals in the Premier League, while an incredible 26 different players have been booked for fouls on him.

“I remember saying to him: ‘You run like an American footballer’,” said Saiss.

“He responded to me that at the time he played in Barcelona, NFL teams tried to get him playing American football instead, that’s how explosive he was.”

Saiss also insists Traore’s impressive physique has come without lifting any weights in the gym.

“I see him every day, because we are in the gym together, before or after training,” he added.

“Maybe he has a hidden gym room in his house, but at training, in any case, he never pumps iron, whether it is bench-press or otherwise. He is huge and very quick.”

Ultimately, Traore stuck to football – and that decision is paying dividends.

He is excelling at Wolves after a difficult first season upon being snapped up from Middlesbrough for £18million in the summer of 2018.

Traore has also come up with four assists in the league for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side – and netted in the Europa League.

He never took the idea of going over to the NFL seriously either.

“No, I didn’t think about it. I thought it was funny,” added Traore.

“It’s funny, ain’t it? But no, I didn’t think about it to be honest.

“My dream was always to be a football player.

“And it’s going good. It can be better – always. But it’s going good.”

Traore has been the subject of much speculation so far this month, with some outlets saying that his old club Barcelona as well as top English clubs Liverpool and Manchester City are looking at him.

But when asked last week if the winger could be sold, Wolves boss Nuno answered with an emphatic ‘no’.