Wigan Athletic handed Wolves a £300k bargain who was loved by the Old Gold faithful: View
Nouha Dicko played for a number of English clubs in his career that’s still going, but the Malian is perhaps best known for his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Dicko signed on at Molinuex as a 21-year-old on a permanent basis, looking to make his mark in England after his time at the Latics ended with just nine appearances in all competitions.
Wolves originally caught the eye of the Mali international on loan at Blackpool, where he showed his promise in two seasons with the Tangerines – scoring nine goals in 38 games.
He joined Kenny Jackett’s side for a reported £300,000 in January 2014, which followed a short loan spell with Wolves in the 2012/13 season – a campaign which saw them relegated to League One.
After a short but eye-catching stint with Rotherham United in 2013/14, Jackett moved to sign him on a permanent deal from Wigan halfway through that season, and the Latics may have stopped short of letting Dicko go if they knew what was to come.
£300,000 Nouha Dicko deal proved to be a real bargain for Wolves
Though he didn’t get a chance to shine at Wigan, Dicko made the most of his opportunity after joining Wolves, and dominated the rest of the League One competition in the second half of the 2013/14 season.
13 goals in 19 games was a serious statement, as Jackett’s side walked the League One title race, gaining promotion back to the Championship, and breaking the League One title record with 103 points.
His pace in behind and directness was a joy for the Wolves supporters to watch, and he developed a dangerous connection with winger Bakary Sako, who was already a key player in Jackett’s side.
A combined 25 goals between them in that League One season was a sign of things to come in the Championship when they made the jump up a level – and they never looked back.
Nouha Dicko and Bakary Sako became a fan favourite duo at Wolves
Wolves had high hopes going into the 2014/15 season. Dicko had made his mark in just half a season and now had another chance to prove that his former side Wigan were wrong to sell him – a brilliant nine months saw Wolves narrowly miss out on the play-offs in heartbreaking fashion though.
However, Dicko once again showed his ability in front of goal, with 14 goals in that season as Sako also bagged 15 himself from out wide.
Whilst not an out and out strike partnership, the duo were frightening for Championship defences to contend with – their combination of pace and power in attack was a joy for Wolves but a nightmare for opposition teams.
But, a potential smugness might have come over Dicko that season, seeing his former employers Wigan be relegated in that same season to League One, just 18 months after they decided to cut him loose.
