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West Bromwich Albion fans would have been anticipating that their team would be participating in the drama of the Championship playoffs, but their team’s 2024/25 campaign didn’t quite go as smoothly as they would have hoped.

In the end, the Baggies would finish four points shy of Bristol City in that final playoff position, with Tony Mowbray actually facing the wrath of the Hawthorns hierarchy by losing his job for not steering the West Midlands side into the long-sought-after top six.

Alongside talk of a new manager coming in to replace the axed Mowbray, there are now murmurs of fresh faces entering the building to boost matters on the pitch, with the rumour mill churning out new potential bosses and players aplenty.

West Brom could sign Premier League youngster

With Albion in need of a new manager, the likes of Marti Cifuentes and Ryan Mason are now being linked to the Baggies vacancy, with Portsmouth manager John Mousinho also reportedly on the West Brom radar after successfully guiding Pompey away from Championship relegation danger.

Moreover, a slightly more left-field shout comes in the form of ex-Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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But, earlier talk suggesting that Tottenham Hotspur coach Mason could be handed the reins hasn’t died down completely, with the 33-year-old perhaps linking up with a Spurs youngster along the way if he does take on the second-tier job post.

Indeed, a report from Birmingham Live has stated that West Brom have lodged an enquiry over the loan signature of 20-year-old Jamie Donley, off the back of the exciting attacker starring on loan in League One this season with Leyton Orient.

Whilst the jump up is significant from League One to the EFL’s elite division, there will be a hope that Orient number 17 can dazzle defences moving up a league in a similar vein to standout Baggies ace Tom Fellows, with the pair constantly want to create openings to put their team on the front foot.

How Donley could be Fellows 2.0

The homegrown Baggies product will know all too well how formative a loan switch can be down to the lower reaches of the EFL, having once donned Crawley Town colours for a singular season.

This campaign so far for Richie Wellens’ promotion chasers, Donley has amassed a mightily impressive eight goals and ten assists from 47 overall contests, with Fellows amazingly finishing his sterling individual 2024/25 season on 18 goal contributions too.

Donley vs Fellows in 2024/25

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

Donley

Fellows

Games played

40

45

Goals scored

8

4

Assists

10

14

Touches*

45.9

27.2

Shots*

1.4

1.0

Accurate passes*

20.5 (70%)

12.5 (87%)

Big chances missed

4

7

Big chances created

17

13

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at their numbers in the EFL this term, both the 20-year-old and his Baggies counterpart have been massively influential for their sides this season in attacking areas, with a mammoth 30 big chances accumulated between them, indicating that they certainly love creating for others.

Hailed for his “sensational” form in the third-tier by scout Jacek Kulig, there is no doubt that the Spurs starlet will be able to take to the pressures of the Championship swimmingly.

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After all, Fellows never looked frozen by fear when he was first given chances here and there in the senior mix at West Brom.

Therefore, if a loan switch does occur, those at the Hawthorns will pray Donley can also jump up to the standard required of him, with the promising number ten perhaps linking up with the entertaining 22-year-old winger very soon as his new employers hunt promotion once more.

Related West Brom now considering "unbelievable" 3-4-1-2 manager to replace Mowbray

The Baggies have identified a manager who has never finished outside the play-offs as a replacement for Tony Mowbray.

Posts 1 ByDominic Lund

Arsenal are now eyeing a January loan move for a former Man City player who’s unsettled at his current club and could look to leave before deadline day.

Mikel Arteta hints at potential January signings for Arsenal

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has continuously suggested that a winter arrival or two is possible, but it largely depends on the opportunities available to them.

Related Arsenal want £113k-per-week Barcelona ace immediately, prepared to make bid

The Gunners have joined Juventus in the race for his signature.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Despite their major concerns right now, with Arsenal seriously missing the injured Bukayo Saka, who’s expected to be out until March, the club won’t be forced into panic-buying of any kind.

Arteta insists the priority is to get the best out of his current options. However, the Spaniard also says that they’re very much in the market and Arsenal are alert to any potential opportunities to upgrade their squad.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Tottenham (home)

January 15

Aston Villa (home)

January 18

Wolves (away)

January 25

Man City (home)

February 2

Leicester City (away)

February 15

“Let’s see. If there’s an opportunity we will look at it,” said Arteta on New Year’s Day. “Let’s see how we get there. Hopefully, the squad is going to be in a much healthier position than it is right now, but who knows?

“We are prepared if we need to do something, we’re capable of doing something, but then that transfer window is very tricky and difficult to control. The opportunities are very limited, but we’ll be there.”

PSG forward Lee Kang-in could emerge as a transfer target for Arsenal if the Ligue 1 champions are willing to let their Asian star leave on a half-season loan with an option to buy him outright in the summer, but as things stand, Luis Enrique’s side haven’t given an indication that is possible (The Athletic).

Surprisingly, reports in Spain suggest that Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo is wanted by Arsenal, and they’re prepared to make a bid, even if their centre-back options aren’t really cause for concern right now.

Another rumour from Spain which will raise eyebrows is Arsenal’s apparently rekindled interest in ex-Aston Villa and Man City midfielder Douglas Luiz, who the club bid multiple times for in 2022 but to no avail.

Arsenal consider January loan deal for Douglas Luiz

Former sporting director Edu Gaspar made three offers for the Brazilian back then – the largest one totalling £25 million – but this wasn’t enough to sway Aston Villa into selling (ESPN).

Since then, Luiz has joined Serie A heavyweights Juventus in a £42 million deal from Villa last summer. The 26-year-old went to Turin in a part-exchange deal which saw both Enzo Barrenchea and Samuel Iling-Junior head the other way, but his time at Juve hasn’t exactly gone according to plan, and he could now return to the Premier League.

As per a Spanish media source, Arsenal are interested in signing Luiz on loan from Juventus in January, even if they already have quality midfield options in his position.

They allegedly join a trio of other top English sides – Fulham, Man United and Tottenham – in the chase, and if reports surrounding Luiz’s potential exit start to heat up further, this could make for a very intriguing transfer saga.

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“He’s playing less than we all expected, but we’re talking about a strong player,” said Villa sporting director Monchi said about Luiz to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“There are guys who arrive and impose themselves, others who need time. Patience is needed, but Douglas’ qualities are beyond discussion. He will become important for Juve.

“He’s a playmaker and every ball that comes out of his feet has a meaning: last year he played 90% of the games with us. He was decisive.”

Nottingham Forest’s approach in the summer transfer window this time around was a much more relaxed approach in comparison to the erratic dealings in the years prior.

Whilst they still made 11 new additions, there was a real impetus to focus on quality over quantity to help pull the club further away from the Premier League’s relegation zone.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side finished the transfer window with a net spend of £18m – fantastic work considering the quality of additions such as Nikola Milenkovic and James Ward-Prowse.

The club also made some impressive sales, with Orel Mangala and Moussa Niakhate making the Reds in the region of £47m – a huge figure in their hopes of staying within the PSR confines for another financial year.

However, they also demonstrated their ambitions by rejecting a huge offer for one of their talisman during the latter stages of the window.

Anthony Elanga’s time at Nottingham Forest

After joining Forest in a £15m deal from Manchester United last summer, winger Anthony Elanga arrived with big expectations of being a hit at the City Ground.

It’s safe to say he lived up to those expectations, registering 14 goal contributions in the Premier League last season, the second most of any player in the Reds squad.

As a result of his sensational displays in the East Midlands last season, he attracted major interest during the summer transfer window – most notably from Newcastle United.

It was reported that the Reds rejected a £50m bid from Eddie Howe’s side on deadline day, a signal of the ambition shown by Evangelos Marinakis to keep hold of his best players.

However, it’s safe to say a deal for another player has failed to be as successful, with the signing unable to break into the Forest first-team during his time at the club.

How much Hwang Ui-Jo earns in 2024

South Korean forward Hwang Ui-Jo joined the Reds in a £4.2m deal from French side Bordeaux back in the summer of 2022 before moving to sister club Olympiacos on a season-long loan.

He’s since been on three separate loan spells to Norwich City, FC Seoul and Alanyaspor, only scoring eight goals over those various stints – resulting in no competitive appearances for the Reds’ first team and looking like a complete waste of money.

Unsurprisingly, he’s not featured in a single match day squad this season having failed to secure a move away from the East Midlands, with Hwang now just merely collecting a wage from the club.

Nottingham Forest players who earn less than Hwang

Player

Weekly wage

Ola Aina

£40k-p/w

Nicolas Dominguez

£35k-p/w

Danilo

£30k-p/w

Murillo

£30k-p/w

Anthony Elanga

£25k-p/w

Ryan Yates

£25k-p/w

Stats via Capology

The 32-year-old earns a staggering £45k-per-week as per Capology, a figure that is nearly two times more than star man Elanga who only earns £25k-per-week despite his stellar form over the last 12 months.

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With the club’s recent battle with PSR, they will want to avoid a repeat of last season which saw Nuno’s side hit with a four-point deduction.

Spending huge wages on mediocre talents would undoubtedly contribute to the financial situation at the club, with the hierarchy needing to cut ties with many players to avoid spending such hefty wages on fringe players.

Hwang is just one example of the players who the club need to desperately get rid of, with the South Korean unable to justify his transfer fee and wages at the City Ground.

Related Marinakis eyes inter club swap with Nottingham Forest set to lose £8m ace

Departures from Nottingham Forest may not be finished yet.

Posts 2 ByBrett Worthington

Chelsea could reportedly complete the signing of a "world-class" World Cup star in the summer transfer window, with his club under pressure to raise funds through player sales.

Chelsea transfer news

The Blues have been linked with a number of new signings of late, as they look to quickly forget about what has been a hugely disappointing season at Stamford Bridge. Many expected positive strides to be made under Mauricio Pochettino, but there has been nowhere near enough progress on show, highlighting the need for further changes to the squad this summer.

One player who Chelsea are believed to be in pole position to sign is former Celta Viga ace Gabri Veiga, who is now plying his trade at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli. The Spaniard could want a return to the European game this summer and the west Londoners have emerged as a strong option for him, with Pochettino a big admirer of his.

The Blues are also one of the Premier League clubs reportedly interested in signing Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo, who is also wanted by Manchester United. He is one of the most impressive defenders in La Liga currently, but could look for a fresh challenge in the summer. With Thiago Silva turning 40 this year and other players flattering to deceive, the Uruguayan could be a game-changing addition.

According to another rumour, contact has also been made with RB Leipzig and France central defender Castello Lukeba, in what could be a deal worth in and around £77m. The 21-year-old has shone at club level this season, making 29 appearances in the Bundesliga and averaging 2.7 clearances per game.

Chelsea could sign "world-class" attacking ace

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea are in the mix to sign Inter striker Marcus Thuram this summer, with his current club possibly even being forced to move him on at the end of the season: "The French striker has impressed in his debut season and his market value makes him a desired target for clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea. Inter could be forced to consider offers for him."

Thuram is a player with genuine pedigree who could be a fantastic signing by Chelsea, having registered an assist in France's 2022 World Cup final defeat to Argentina. VfL Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer has called him a "world class striker" in the past, while former manager Daniel Farke said of him: "Marcus is in excellent shape.

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"He has all the qualities to fill this position well. He’s still getting used to that central striker role. It’s still about running paths, but we’re working on that.” Farke added that Thuram is already “an exceptional player of the highest international class.”

Related Chelsea now front of queue to sign £205k-a-week starlet loved by Ancelotti

He could be another new young addition at Stamford Bridge this summer.

Posts ByBen Browning

This season, Thuram has scored 12 goals and registered seven assists in Serie A, en route to Inter winning the Serie A title, and he has the ruthlessness that has been sorely missing in Chelsea's attack throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

A new contract could be heading the way of "magic" Rangers star Borna Barisic in the near future, according to a new update from journalist Dean Jones.

Rangers January transfer news

The Gers have done so well to battle to within touching distance of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race, as Philippe Clement's positive start to life as manager at Ibrox continues. Rangers won 3-1 at home to Dundee on Saturday afternoon, while the Hoops' 2-1 loss at Kilmarnock the following day means Clement's side are now only five points adrift of top spot with a game in hand.

New signings in the January transfer window are surely needed to further increase their chances of going all the way in the league, however, and Nottingham Forest defender Scott McKenna has been linked with a move to Rangers. Everton's Ben Godfrey is another who has been seen as a potential Ibrox target, as it's clear the defence is an area of focus for the new boss.

There are also key players who Clement will have to fight to keep hold of however, and an important update has emerged regarding one such figure.

Barisic in line for new Rangers deal

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said talks are underway between Rangers and Borna Barisic over a new deal at Ibrox.

"Obviously, there is uncertainty around the left-back position at the moment. Barisic has been at the club for a long time now, and he has got a few clubs looking at his situation because he could sign a pre-contract with a club abroad in January.

"There have been a few mooted in that sense, so it is a situation to watch. But Rangers have begun the process of talking to him about an extension, and that began a couple of months back. You would be expecting that to progress pretty soon if there is going to be a good ending to it from a Rangers perspective.

"They need to try and make sure that the contract situation works out suitably, from their point of view, pretty soon because Rangers will need to be wondering what they will do by the time they get to the end of the season if they don't get good indications that he is going to sign a new deal."

Barisic signing a new deal at Rangers would be great news, with the 31-year-old such a steady performer for the club over the years, making 222 appearances in total and chipping in with 52 assists in that time.

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Steven Gerrard hailed him as "magic" during his time as Gers manager, following a goal in a 1-0 win against St Mirren, and he is someone with so much experience but still with years left in him at this level.

Barisic has started ten Scottish Premiership games so far this season, averaging 1.9 clearances and 1.8 aerial duel wins per game, and with his current deal expiring next summer, an extension is a no-brainer

Crystal Palace are in the market for a defensive player before the transfer market closes for business on September 1st.

What's the latest Crystal Palace transfer news?

According to 90min, Palace are one of several ‘admirers’ of Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier.

Monaco, Celtic, and a number of Bundesliga sides are also keen on acquiring his services.

Dier’s nine-year stint in North London could be drawing to a close as this outlet revealed that he is not in the ‘immediate plans’ of new head coach Ange Postecoglou.

The 29-year-old was left out of the club’s matchday squad for their Premier League opening day draw against Brentford, with the manager stating that it was not due to injury:

“He’s working hard in training and available for selection”, said Postecoglu. “ My decisions then are what I think will give us the best chance of success for any given game and then we reassess the week after.”

Dier has also reportedly been omitted from the manager’s new-look leadership group and with just one year left on his current deal, the chance of an exit is looking increasingly likely with Selhurst Park touted as a destination.

Is Eric Dier better than Marc Guehi?

The Englishman has been at Spurs since 2014 and as his career has progressed he has transitioned from a defensive midfielder into a centre-back.

Over the last three years, Dier has been exclusively deployed as a centre-half but his awareness, intelligence, and decision-making have often been questionable.

As a central defender, these traits boil down to a player's solidity and ball-playing competence, but Dier is lacking in both departments. Over the past 365 days compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the 49-cap international ranks in the lowest 41% for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90. Then defensively, he resides in the bottom 31% for tackles and interceptions.

The second statistic is a particularly chastening indictment of Dier’s level as under Antonio Conte, the club played an extremely, defensive, disciplined and rigid style, so there would be an expectation that players would score impressively for those types of metrics. However, Dier has failed to deliver, and it raises questions if he would be suitable for a team such as Palace.

The £85k-per-week mishap has been branded as “terrible” by commentator Jim Beglin and someone “nowhere near the required level” to bring success by journalist Ryan Taylor.

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From an Eagles perspective, for that wage and his quality, he is unlikely to be considered a better option than either Marc Guehi or Joachim Andersen. Last term, this pair started 37 and 32 Premier League games respectively, and Palace’s sturdy mid-table status is built upon these pillars of reliability.

In the club’s opening day 1-0 victory over newly-promoted Sheffield United, both players were in imperious form. Andersen registered six clearances, three tackles, ten accurate long balls, and won ten duels, as per Sofascore. Guehi followed a similar pattern, recording 89% pass accuracy, two clearances, two blocks, two interceptions, and winning 100% of his ground duels.

The signing of Dier would only make sense if one of these titan’s left or if the former Sporting CP man was intended to be a backup. However, it is unlikely that Dier is willing to migrate between substitute benches, so Palace can surely find a more exciting alternative to create more meaningful competition.

Chelsea forward Kai Havertz is wanted by Real Madrid in the summer transfer window, according to a new update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Did Havertz have a good season for Chelsea?

The German joined the Blues back in the summer of 2020 from Bayer Leverkusen, famously scoring the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City.

It's fair to say that Havertz has blown a little hot and cold in a Chelsea shirt overall, however, with his performances not always matching his top-class levels of talent. This season, the £150,000-a-week attacker only scored seven times in 35 Premier League appearances, and while that was still more than any other Blues player, he still didn't offer enough leading the line.

It has led to queastion marks surrounding the 23-year-old's long-term future at Stamford Bridge, even though his current deal runs until the summer of 2025. Much may depend on how happy he is in west London currently, and whether Mauricio Pochettino sees him as a key figure.

Could Havertz join Real Madrid this summer?

Taking to Twitter, Romano claimed that Madrid are keen on acquiring Havertz's signature before the beginning of next season, with Carlo Ancelotti a big fan of his:

"Real Madrid have concrete interest in Kai Havertz. He’s one of the players in the list, really appreciated by Ancelotti. Understand Chelsea are open to discuss Havertz exit but they want important fee, no way for loan & similar."

Havertz leaving Chelsea would be a blow, especially if Pochettino considers him someone who he can build his team around. With Mason Mount looking likely to leave, it could even be that he is used in a No.10 role behind an elite striker who comes in, such as Napoli's Victor Osimhen, who has been linked with the Blues a number of times in recent months.

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Granted, the 34-cap and 12-goal Germany international hasn't always performed at a consistently high level, but he remains a young player with a huge amount of potential. He was once described as "world-class" by Matthias Sammer during his Bundesliga days, so to lose him to Madrid at this point in his career would be a setback.

The hope is that Havertz is buoyed by the appointment of Pochettino and sees his future there for the time being, going up a gear under the Argentine next season and fulfilling his talent in the process.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in a move to bring Alejandro Grimaldo to the Premier League, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Free transfer available

Julen Lopetegui made six new signings in January, including Craig Dawson at centre-back, but given his team’s struggles this season, further defensive reinforcements may be needed in the summer if they manage to retain their top-flight status.

Benfica left-back Grimaldo will be out of contract at the end of the season and therefore available on a free transfer having not put pen to paper on fresh terms, and it appears that he has been identified as an ideal target by the hierarchy at Molineux.

The Latest: Wolves eyeing Grimaldo

According to Football Insider, Wolves and Newcastle have both ‘joined’ Leeds and Real Madrid in the race for Grimaldo’s signature this summer.

The Old Gold are ‘interested’ in completing a deal for the 27-year-old alongside their fellow top-flight rivals, with a move to England ‘not off the cards’ despite the attention from La Liga.

The Verdict: Ait-Nouri replacement?

Lopetegui was reportedly willing to let Rayan Ait-Nouri depart on loan in January amid interest from Real Betis, so should the French youngster exit in the summer, Grimaldo would appear to be the perfect left-back replacement at Wolves.

The Spaniard has clocked up 13 goal contributions across all competitions this season and currently ranks in the 99th percentile among positional peers outside of Europe’s top five leagues for attack-minded metrics such as expected assisted goals and progressive passes received.

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The Benfica gem has also been likened to none other than Brazil legend Roberto Carlos by journalist Mootaz Chehade, which just goes to show how highly he is regarded.

Furthermore, Grimaldo shares the same agent as Max Kilman, so this could give Wolves a potential advantage over their competitors in the battle for the 27-year-old’s services.

Newcastle United have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Attacker wanted

Given recent links to the likes of Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, Leeds United’s Jack Harrison and PSV’s Cody Gakpo, it is clear that the St. James’ Park outfit would like to bring in another attacker in January, to help them push all the way for a UEFA Champions League place come the end of next season.

Having largely been a missed out on Brazil’s FIFA World Cup squad in Qatar, Cunha is likely to seek a move away this winter, which could give a number of clubs an opportunity to pounce on his signature.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘offered’ Cunha

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Magpies have been ‘offered’ Cunha in January alongside Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, as Atletico are ‘desperate’ to offload his wages, and would be ‘prepared’ to sanction a loan move.

However, Everton, Aston Villa and Leeds United have made contact with Cunha’s representatives over a potential deal, and are ‘actively trying’ to strike one for him, while the player himself is ‘interested’ in working with Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, but ‘sources’ have claimed that he would like to explore all of his options first of all before making a final decision on his future.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Look elsewhere?

Eddie Howe’s side have had no real problems in the attacking third of the pitch this term, with their 29 goals scored in the Premier League the fourth-highest in the division.

Dubbed ‘something special‘ by former Hertha Berlin head coach Bruno Labbadia, after impressing with the German club, where he managed 23 goal contributions in 40 games (Transfermarkt), in truth Cunha has struggled for form since moving to Atletico,  failing to find the back of the net so far in this campaign.

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Lauded as a player who is ‘very fast’, with ‘great technical skills’, ‘unpredictable gameplay’ and an ‘excellent goal instinct’ by his former manager at Swiss side FC Sion Maurizio Jacobacci, Cunha boasts a similar playing style to Tyneside striker Alexander Isak, but the former would likely have to be pushed out wide in order to accommodate the Sweden international.

Sharing the same agent as Toon central midfielder and fellow Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes, a deal could certainly be pushed through, but the North East club may want to think twice about whether Cunha is the right fit for them.

West Bromwich Albion are a team desperate for a goalscorer, with Karlan Grant suffering in front of goal and Brandon Thomas-Asante an unproven talent having joined late on in the summer window.

The former has just three goals this season despite having played in all of their league fixtures.

They are currently languishing in 20th, with just one win from ten in the Championship, and with just 15 goals scored in ten games (five of which came in one match).

One man who would certainly inject some confidence into this misfiring outfit is former striker Peter Odemwingie, who Steve Bruce would be wishing he had now for his current toothless side.

Across 90 appearances for the Baggies, the Nigerian marksman bagged 31 times, whilst also providing 17 assists. That means that he contributed to at least one goal once every 1.8 games.

It is not going to set the world alight but that kind of solid proficiency in front of goal, alongside a solid defence that Bruce will be desperate to cultivate, could have been the perfect combination for success.

During the 2011/12 Premier League season, ten goals in 30 appearances announced him as a pretty reliable option up front.

To bring this form down to the Championship would surely see his goals increase, and he could be the final piece of the puzzle to allow West Brom to kick on towards promotion once more.

Signed in 2010 for just an undisclosed fee, this “wonderful” forward would definitely be the answer to their prayers could they return him to the current side in his prime.

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Not only was he a huge success on the pitch, but the fact that he left and recouped a £2.5m fee made him an all-around success for the club.

If only he could bring some of that ability now, they might not have had such a lacklustre start to the new campaign.

What started out as a promotion-chasing season has quickly become all about stabilisation, but with a proper forward like Odemwingie they would certainly have more than just the one win towards their dreams.