Wolves sell Guedioura to Forest for £1m
Wolves today recouped £1m from the sale of Adlene Guedioura to Nottingham Forest – and insisted the deal left all parties happy.
Wolves today recouped £1m from the sale of Adlene Guedioura to Nottingham Forest – and insisted the deal left all parties happy.
The Algeria international's exit guarantees Wolves a seven-figure sum and he has signed a three-year contract.
Guedioura, 26, became Wolverhampton-born new Forest boss Sean O'Driscoll's first signing since his appointment as manager five days ago.
The midfielder, who was into the final year of his contract at Molineux, was paraded at the City Ground yesterday afternoon after rejoining the club where he made 19 appearances on loan last season, scoring once.
His departure has sparked a mixed reaction among Wolves supporters, with many disappointed the midfielder didn't get more of a chance after playing just 38 games since his arrival, initially on loan, in January 2010.
Supporters also speculated on whether boss Stale Solbakken had approved the deal. But chief executive Jez Moxey today insisted the transfer had the Norwegian's full support.
"The manager makes the decisions on the buying and selling of players," Moxey told the Express & Star.
"He had watched videos on Adlene in action and decided this was the best course of action for us.
"We need to change the team and he was one of the players that were possibly going to be sold.
Money
"They wanted him, he was into the last year of his contract, he wanted to go and we were happy for him to leave provided we got the right money for him.
"Everyone – us, the player, the manager – was happy with the deal."
Guedioura is the third player to leave Wolves in the past two weeks after Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who joined Peterborough for a six-figure fee, and Leigh Griffiths, who rejoined Hibernian on loan until January. Sam Vokes has also been put up for sale by the club, while a £1.8m bid for Ronald Zubar from Besiktas has been turned down.
Signed by Mick McCarthy from Belgian club Charleroi, Guedioura started just two Premier League games in 2011-12 for Wolves.
O'Driscoll said: "When I heard he was available, I moved quickly to sign him. He knows what's expected. I look forward to utilising his expansive midfield play."
