Wolves were in advanced talks to sign defender Yllan Okou in the summer and have not abandoned their pursuit of a deal.

According to Sky Sports in Europe, the Old Gold were interested in signing the 23-year-old but were unable to free up squad space to finalise the transfer.

The Championship side was looking to improve their defensive options after underperforming under Cesar Peixoto.

The Midlands club signed Ladislav Krejci on a permanent basis but did not add any new center-backs over the summer.

Santiago Bueno’s future is uncertain, since the 27-year-old has yet to play a minute in the league this season.

The defender’s exit is expected, as the transfer window in countries such as Turkey remains open for another few hours and the Saudi market until October 12th.

Wolves consider Yllan Okou trade.

Despite the fact that the transfer window has closed, Wolves are thought to still be interested in signing La Louviere’s Okou.

The Old Gold will have to wait until January 1 to make any further transfers, although it is possible that they will reenter the market for the defender.

It has been reported that the 23-year-old had offers from several eastern European teams competing in UEFA events this season.

However, Wolves were considered the most persistent in their pursuit of the center-back and were unable to reach an agreement.

The Championship side is also in talks to sign Bertrand Traore, who is currently a free agent and can make the move to Molineux.

The former Sunderland winger is anticipated to replace Bueno in the 25-man team if the defender is sold.

Yllan Okou’s Belgian Pro League Experience

Okou joined Belgian club La Louviere during the summer transfer window of 2025, coming from French team Bastia.

Prior to coming to Belgium, the center-back spent a season on loan with Hellas Verona, making only one game in Serie A.

Yllan Okou’s defensive numbers 2025/26 – according to Fotmob.com

Stat

Per 90

Defensive contributions.

11.46

Tackles: 1.20; Interceptions: 1.36.

Blocked shots

0.66

Fouls committed.

0.43

Recoveries

4.02

Dribbled past.

0.10

Clearances

8.25

But he entrenched himself as a major member of La Louviere’s first squad, appearing in 33 Pro League games last season as the team finished 15th in the table.

He has started four of their first five games this season, and the squad failed to win the league in 2026/27.

Wolves will need to strengthen their defence in January.

Wolves have surrendered 10 goals in their first five games and have yet to keep a clean sheet in the league.

So it’s evident that Peixoto needs more quality in his backline, as the team will struggle to contend for promotion if they continue to concede goals at this rate.

Okou didn’t make much of an impression in Ligue 1 or Serie A, but his performances in the Belgian Pro League and Ligue 2 suggest he could be useful for the Midlands club.

He is strong in the air, and his 4.02 recoveries per 90 in the league last season, as well as his 0.10 dribbled past rate per game, indicating that he is a tough operator (all figures via Fotmob).