Friend: Adama Is Frightening!

FOR most left-backs, the terrifying sight of a charging Adama Traore comes around just twice a season. For poor George Friend, it is a daily occurrence.

- Chris Dunlavy

“There’s nobody as quick as Adama,” insists the Middlesbrough defender, whose jet-heeled Spanish team-mate once clocked a top-speed of 37km/h – 23mph in old money.

“I’m telling you. Not in the Championship. Not in the Premier League. Not anywhere. I haven’t been all around the world, but I’d be amazed if there was any footballer on the planet who could match Adama for pace.

“I see him in training every day, blazing past people. Half the time, he isn’t even going flat out. He is an incredible athlete.

“If you get tight, he’ll turn you. If you stand off, you give him the option to beat you either side. It’s very hard. Teams now are doubling up or even tripling up on him, but Adama’s got that much strength, speed and intelligence that he usually works them out. He’s a pleasure to play with – just not to train against!”

Traore, 22, had struggled to turn power and pace into plaudits following his £7m move from Barcelona to Aston Villa in 2015.

The winger played just 11 times for the Villans and, despite several spectacular cameos, was never more than a bit-part player at the Riverside under Aitor Karanka and Garry Monk.