Wolves: £50k-a-week star 'has to deliver' at Molineux | OneFootball

Wolves need Diego Costa up and running after the international break, says journalist Dean Jones.

The striker missed the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City last Saturday, another game where Bruno Lage’s men struggled in attack.

What is the latest news involving Costa?

Lage told reporters that Costa was not ready to play in the loss to City, with the 33-year-old having not featured in a match since last December.

“He didn’t train with the team all week. It will take time for him to be ready to compete at this level,” the Portuguese manager said (via Express & Star).

“He’s fit, he doesn’t have any problems, but he’s spent a long time without playing and he didn’t do any training with the team.”

Costa arrived at Molineux on a free transfer following Sasa Kalajdzic’s injury. The Austrian is set for a long spell on the sidelines after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament.

What has Jones said about Costa and Wolves?

Jones feels Wolves desperately need Costa when club football returns and thinks the former Chelsea man is under pressure to deliver given the team’s bluntness in attack.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: “He just doesn’t have options up front. Diego Costa has to be available straight after the international break and he has to begin with a bang, because Wolves look lifeless in attack.

“They have to start creating chances and they have to convert them when they come along.”

How poor have Wolves been offensively this season?

As Jones said, Wolves have looked lifeless at times. In the seven Premier League games Lage’s men have played so far, they have scored a measly three goals.

It means that they have the joint-worst record in the division when it comes to finding the back of the net, with West Ham also managing to register just three times this term (via WhoScored).

Last season, Wolves were in the bottom five for goals scored, too, showing that there is so much work to do in that department.

Can Costa change their fortunes there? Lage will be hoping so, and the £50,000-a-week forward obviously has a good track record in England.

During his Chelsea days, Costa scored 52 Premier League goals in 89 outings. That, of course, was quite a while ago, however.

But if Wolves are to avoid a relegation battle this season, then someone is going to have to score goals. And away from Costa, there does not look to be too many players in Lage’s squad who are capable of doing that right now.