West Brom have been tipped to sign a new player in this one position during the January transfer window next month.
West Brom are heading towards another crucial transfer window, but it may be so because of how well they’re doing in the Championship this season.
The Baggies are flying high under Carlos Corberan, currently sitting in 5th and looking like they might be one or two signings away from really pushing for promotion this season.
And there’s other stuff going on off the pitch. But Corberan will be solely focused on matters on the pitch and on bolstering his side in the necessary areas next month.
There’s plenty of positions that could be in need of a body or two, given yet another season of injury misfortune for the Baggies.
But journalist Lewis Cox has tipped West Brom to be in the market for a wide player in January.
Lewis Cox backs West Brom to sign a new wide player next month
West Brom have a potent attacking department.
And it’s a fluid department with Corberan often playing players in new roles and whatnot.
But it’s a department that’s been stricken by injury this season; Matt Phillips and Josh Maja have both been ruled out for four months with new injuries, Daryl Dike remains on the sidelines, whilst names like John Swift and Jed Wallace have both had injuries this year.
To add to that, Corberan looks set to lose Grady Diangana to AFCON in the New Year.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Baggies Broadcast, Express & Star journalist Cox had this to say on the January transfer window:
“I don’t see any way in which Albion can’t afford to get another one [attacking player] in. Yes, Dike, dare we say it, is hopefully, touch wood, on the horizon. But we can’t expect too much there… I think somehow, by hook or by crook, regardless of the ownership situation, there’ll have to be something, however possible.”
He added:
“Will it be a wide player or will it be a striker? I’d probably lean just towards the former.”
Cox also suggested that West Brom will likely be looing at the loan market for new players next month.
Is a wide player a ‘must’ for West Brom in January?
Should Diangana head off to AFCON then Corberan will be left with just Wallace, Jeremy Sarmiento, and Tom Fellows as recognised wingers.
And, for example, should Wallace or Sarmiento pick up an injury, which is of course a possibility, Corberan and West Brom would be in trouble.
So it seems vital that the Baggies sign at least one wide player in next month’s window, and given the club’s tricky financial situation and ongoing takeover noise, a loan signing seems much more realistic.
Thankfully, with Corberan at the helm and West Brom playing good and effective football, West Brom looks like quite an attractive place for Premier League clubs to send their players on loan; look at Brighton choosing to send Sarmiento to The Hawthorns in the summer.
So there’ll certainly be options out there for West Brom and for whoever might join, it’d be a great opportunity.
But as ever, West Brom will need to act fast to get the best deals in what will be another hectic January window.