Ryan Mason facing £4.75m West Brom dilemma - It could decide Hawthorns fate | OneFootball

Ryan Mason has a huge choice to make amid pressure on his job

Ryan Mason is under immense pressure as West Brom manager.

The new season began with a lot of hope at the Hawthorns, after a hectic 2024/25 campaign saw for different managers lead the Baggies forward at different points in the term.

Looking to try and end their run of four years outside the Premier League, West Brom decided to roll the dice and go in a new direction when appointing their new manager.

Mason was chosen as the man to lead the Black Country outfit forward in the summer, despite having never been a full-time first-team manager in professional football before.

The 34-year-old did have lots of experience from his time at Tottenham Hotspur however, which saw him work under operators such as Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, and allowed him the opportunity to coach Spurs at the 2021 EFL Cup final.

Obvious growing pains were to be expected as Mason adapted to life as a first-team manager, but few would’ve predicted such a somber run as the one that the Baggies are currently on.

West Brom have won just twice in their last 10 Championship outings, with six losses also included in that spell. This sees them positioned 14th in the second-tier standings, just six points ahead of Southampton in 21st.

When pushing towards promotion was the goal in mind this season, pressure automatically will come Mason’s way for how Albion have performed recently.

Huge striker decision could decide Ryan Mason’s West Brom fate

Some supporters have already started discussing whether a change of manager is necessary, which isn’t good news for Mason’s hopes of remaining in his current position.

Therefore, the 34-year-old might have to start considering making drastic changes to his system and the players he has been deploying.

One particular area he could tweak is up front, where summer signing Aune Heggebo has played primarily this season.

The forward joined West Brom this summer from Norwegian side Brann for £4.75m, and was expected to fire in a sufficient number of goals to carry the Black Country outfit up into play-off contention.

However, the 24-year-old has scored just once in 14 Championship appearances thus far and doesn’t look anywhere near like living up to his price tag. Therefore, Mason could be forced into making a huge decision.

Given how much money West Brom spent on Heggebo, it would be a damning act to drop him from the starting 11 in favour of a forward who the Baggies already had in their ranks.

But Mason may have no choice. If he doesn’t change something major soon, results will eventually catch up with him and may join Ruben Selles, Will Still and Paulo Pezzolano on the list of Championship managers to be sacked this season.

Josh Maja and Daryl Dike are both available for selection, which could be an avenue that West Brom’s boss decides to go down.

The duo have experience and Championship goalscoring credentials, which is exactly what Mason needs up top right now.

Heggebo may turn into a brilliant Championship striker in the future, but the Baggies’ manager needs a proven source of goals now, which may mean that dropping a player who cost West Brom almost £5m is inevitable.

Ryan Mason must get a result from Oxford United test

With the hectic winter period approaching, many clubs may use the November international break as a point to make a managerial change as it gives their new boss some much-needed time to bed themselves into their new surroundings.

This means that Mason may have just one more chance to save his job, which would come in the form of the Baggies’ upcoming home clash against Oxford United.

Gary Rowett’s side possesses one of the Championship’s weakest squads on paper and should be a test West Brom pass fairly comfortably. However, the Baggies’ performances haven’t been that straightforward this season.

If Albion are bested by Oxford United at the Hawthorns, the club’s higher-ups may have no option but to make a change, using the November international break as a convenient period to do so.

Therefore, it is crucial that Mason goes all out when selecting his next squad and that may include making some huge changes to the West Brom frontline.