West Brom may be regretting losing 21-year-old - His latest EFL goal has gone viral | OneFootball

Former West Brom forward Reyes Cleary scored from his own half against Bradford City for Barnsley this weekend

Once a highly-touted forward in the West Brom academy, Reyes Cleary opted to gamble on himself and departed The Hawthorns for pastures new - and his latest antics may leave the hierarchy at the West Midlands club irked that they didn't do more to try and keep him.

Having struggled to break into the first team fold at West Brom, 21-year-old Cleary decided to turn down a new deal at the Midlands-based club this summer and made the switch to Oakwell to join Barnsley in League One.

The Englishman progressed through the youth ranks at the Baggies and went out on two separate loan spells last season, first with Walsall in League Two, and then with Hartlepool United in the National League.

Cleary struggled for game time at Walsall, playing just three matches for the Saddlers during his brief stint on loan at the Bescot Stadium, with his final appearance being an 18-minute cameo in a 6-2 home defeat to Fleetwood Town in matchday nine.

The forward's switch to Hartlepool was a successful one, especially in comparison to his time with Walsall, as Cleary scored six times and grabbed two assists in 20 games in the fifth tier, and upon his return to West Brom, he was offered a new deal, but he was seeking pastures new.

Cleary was presented with a new deal at West Brom this summer, but instead decided to leave his boyhood club and move to South Yorkshire, joining Barnsley on a three-year deal, with the club possessing an option to extend by a further year if they decided.

The forwards' start to life at Oakwell initially began slowly, having been limited to just five substitute appearances in the league in the first ten matchdays.

But, after he was given his first starting berth in the third tier away to Wycombe Wanderers just before the international break, Cleary showed his worth by firing the Tykes in front at Adams Park, before ultimately drawing the game 2-2.

Manager Conor Hourihane continued to trust him heading into Saturday's away fixture against Bradford, handing the 21-year-old a start from the left wing, and he repaid his gaffer in emphatic style.

Having fallen behind to an Antoni Sarcevic goal in the ninth minute, Luca Connell fed Cleary inside Barnsley's own half as the Tykes looked to counter, but to everyone's disbelief, Cleary tried his luck from over 60 yards out, looping the ball just over Sam Walker in the Bradford goal.

Understandably, his long-range strike sent the Barnsley fans into raptures, and West Brom fans covering their eyes.

The game would finish 2-2 in the end, but Cleary's goal stole the headlines, as he has well and truly announced himself in the EFL, and looks like he could play a crucial role for Barnsley off the left flank this campaign.

Reyes Cleary's development will be interesting to watch - West Brom may regret not doing more to keep him

Cleary's stunning goal took the entire of Valley Parade by surprise, even Barnsley boss Hourihane, who, following his strike, said, "My biggest thing would be that I just felt like the whole place stood still and waited to see what happened.

"It was quite unique, really. I think everyone was just like, is this going in or not? And we all stood still. The place felt like it just went silent, and we were waiting for the outcome.

"And lucky enough, obviously, it went in. Credit to Reyes. Look, he's been in a bit of fresh air the last couple of weeks."

Cleary now has two goals in two starts for Barnsley in consecutive League One games this season, and has emerged as a real threat down the left-hand side for Hourihane.

Davis Keillor-Dunn has moved into the centre-forward position as a result of Cleary's emergence, with veteran David McGoldrick having dropped down to the bench as a result.

Cleary may not yet fully nail down that place in the starting eleven as his own with the other competition in the squad, having to contend for a place with Neil Farrugia, Caylan Vickers and Fabio Jalo also able to deputise out wide.

However, he is certainly going the right way about it if that is his aim, and West Brom may already be regretting not tying him down to a new contract sooner.

Prior to signing his first professional contract at The Hawthorns, Cleary's youth team form saw him linked with clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Arsenal, during a season where he scored 18 times in 14 under-18's Premier League matches for Albion, but he only signed his first pro deal with the club in August 2022 - some eight months after one was offered.

Cleary continued his goalscoring streak in 2022-23, this time for West Brom's under-21's, with 16 goals in 12 matches at Premier League 2 level, but injuries would hamper his 2023-24 campaign, and he was evidently not in then-manager Carlos Corberan's plans last season, which saw him initially head to Walsall on loan in a stint that didn't work out.

The fact that Barnsley offered Cleary an initial three-year deal shows they saw his potential, but if West Brom offered similar terms then they could've potentially held on to the left-winger - if he continues to shine at League One level, then there may end up being regrets that they did not do so.