West Bromwich Albion are expected to carry out a thorough squad rebuild this summer transfer window as they say farewell to several first-team players and seek to shift closer to the Premier League.
The Baggies recently ended a disappointing season, missing out on Championship play-off qualification due to a dismal run of results. Tony Mowbray lost his job after just four months in charge, and it took Albion a good six weeks to source a replacement, but Ryan Mason has now been hired from Tottenham Hotspur, and there’s optimism for the future.
It’s important that the recruitment team get their business spot on this summer, and, as pointed out by Mowbray during his final press conference, it could be beneficial to change the approach. As it stands, the higher-ups don’t speak to the head coach before making transfers. That surely cannot be a sustainable process going forward, so it’ll be interesting to see if there’s any change there.
The transfer budget certainly won’t be endless, but West Brom’s pockets could be filled somewhat by the likely sale of winger Tom Fellows to the Premier League—perhaps raking in upwards of £15 million. There’s no guarantee of that, though, and regardless, the business carried out must be shrewd and well thought-out
West Brom swoop for Tottenham Hotspur youngster makes perfect sense
To keep costs down while still strengthening the squad, Albion could turn to free agents and loan signings. Long-term fixes may be tricky in those markets, but loans especially could plug gaps well and allow some budget to be stretched to other areas. Birmingham World reckons West Brom won’t have to look far to find a perfect loan signing, too, as Mason can utilize his contacts at Spurs to help out.
A popular figure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before his departure for The Hawthorns, Mason built up some superb relationships and worked well with younger players in particular. West Brom are understood to have been looking at signing Jamie Donley on loan before Mason had even been appointed, so he’s a potential addition, but another Spurs prospect could be even better.
Mikey Moore, just 17 years of age, racked up over 1,000 minutes at senior level for Spurs last season, including 361 in the Premier League. The left winger, a nine-time England Under-19 international, started the two final league fixtures of the season against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa before watching on from the sidelines as his side clinched the Europa League title against Manchester United in Bilbao.
Such an exciting prospect is expected to be of great use to Spurs in the future, but Ange Postecoglou may decide it’s best to loan him out for guaranteed starts. The Championship could be the perfect level for Moore to develop and get used to the physicality of the English game.
Hordes of clubs are bound to jump at the opportunity if Moore does get listed for loan, but West Brom could arguably be the favorites due to Mason’s presence. The pair already know each other well, and the relationship between the Albion and Spurs hierarchies is strong.
The Baggies need a new left winger following Grady Diangana’s departure. Mikey Johnston impressed at times last season – and the campaign before that on loan – but wasn’t anywhere near consistent enough. Having another option in Moore would be very useful, and the teenager could even shift over to the opposite flank if required, as he’s capable of playing there.
Before joining up with the senior squad, Moore contributed a remarkable 19 goals and 13 assists in 24 matches for Spurs Under-18, adding a further two goals and two assists in five games for the Under-21 team. Quick, agile, creative, skillful, and more than capable of finding the back of the net, Moore could be a shrewd season-long addition to West Brom’s attack.
Do you agree with us? Would you like to see Moore secure an Albion move? Let us know in the comments section.
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