According to a recent report by L’Equipe, Wolverhampton Wanderers are hoping to secure the signature of Brentford centre-back Yoann Barbet in the summer. However, the same source has also revealed that Wolves will face stiff competition from the EFL Championship duo of Leeds United and Norwich City in pursuit of the French defender.
Barbet’s Impressive Campaign With Brentford
Barbet has enjoyed a solid campaign with the Bees after putting in some commanding displays at the back under Thomas Frank’s guidance thus far. Since making a switch to Griffin Park from FC Niort in the summer of 2015, the French defender has gradually managed to establish himself as a regular starter at Brentford over the past few years.
The EFL Championship defensive ace has featured in a total of 37 matches for the Bees this term and has one goal to his name across all competitions. More importantly, he has made an average of 1.4 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 2.5 clearances per game so far (Stats taken from Whoscored).
His incredible contributions on the pitch have helped Brentford steer clear of the relegation zone as they are currently sitting in 15th place, a healthy 12 points above the dreaded drop zone heading into the final few matches of this season.
What Does The French Defender Offer On The Pitch?
Barbet has enough pace under his belt to make recovering challenges in his own half. He is also physically dominant but whether he can impose his authority in the Premier League remains to be seen. He is a good defender at the EFL Championship level, but there are big concerns over whether he will be able to succeed in the English top-flight.
Wolves have enjoyed a stellar campaign thus far under Nuno Espirito Santo’s guidance, and so they would be optimistic about fighting for a European spot next season. However, for that to happen, the West Midlands side needs to recruit well in this off-season to have a strong squad capable of challenging for a top 7 place next season.
Will Barbet Be A Good Addition To Nuno Santo’s Team?
Even when he is playing at his best, Barbet doesn’t have the quality required to improve the Wolves backline so it would be wise not to bring him to the Molineux Stadium this summer.
