Conor Coady ‘defined era at Wolves’
Sporting director Matt Hobbs admitted Conor Coady defined his era with Wolves after the defender’s “bittersweet” sale to Leicester.
Coady’s £7.5million exit, with the potential of another £1m if the Foxes win promotion back to the Premier League, was confirmed over the weekend.
It brought to an end an incredible eight years at Molineux for the England international, in which he turned out 317 times in gold and black, lifted the Championship title and achieved back-to-back seventh-placed top flight finishes.
The 30-year-old fell out of favour under Bruno Lage and went on to spend the season with Everton, who turned down the chance to sign him for £4.5m this summer. Hobbs acknowledged mixed emotions during negotiations but felt all parties could be pleased as Coady penned a three-year deal at the King Power Stadium.
“There has been a lot of mixed emotions when we’ve been arranging a deal like this one because everyone at the football club would have wanted him to stay,” Hobbs said. “But we also have to appreciate that it’s a fantastic deal for the club and a fantastic deal for Conor with the length of term he’ll get at Leicester.
“It’s been a bittersweet deal, but one that is beneficial to everyone involved.
“In many ways, Conor has defined what it means to be a Wolves player, especially in this new Wolves era under Fosun.”
Hobbs added: “Conor is probably the best man I’ve ever met – in or out of football. I’ve never met someone so well regarded and liked by so many people and it’s a testament to him as a person.
“But as well as being a brilliant person, he has also been a brilliant servant to our football club.”
