West Brom must be having second thoughts on sanctioning £10m player exit | OneFootball

The retirement of Kyle Bartley may force Albion to retain Torbjorn Heggem.

West Brom started the 2025-26 Championship season in a positive fashion.

The Baggies recorded a narrow 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers to ensure Ryan Mason kicked off his first professional managerial role with a victory.

Albion will head into their clash with Championship new-boys Wrexham next weekend with confidence, while they also face second-tier competition in the form of Derby County for their League Cup opener.

The Black Country outfit will be hoping that they will have some new signings in the squad by the time they travel to the Racecourse Ground, with summer activity quiet due to their ongoing issues with P&S rules.

It’s been well-documented that Albion will have to part ways with one of their most sellable assets to facilitate a surge in spending, with Tom Fellows first earmarked as the player who could be on his way.

But recently, Torbjorn Heggem’s future has been up in the air, with the towering Norwegian linked with a move to the Serie A with Italian outfit Bologna.

A Heggem exit was originally expected to command a £10m fee, although reports in Italy have suggested that West Brom are willing to drop their asking price.

But the latest development to the Baggies' backline may have to see the club retain him, resulting in a continued lack of transfer activity for the remainder of the window.

Kyle Bartley’s retirement could hinder Torbjorn Heggem exit from West Brom

Shortly before the new EFL Championship season kicked off, there was some surprising news as West Brom confirmed that long-standing defender Kyle Bartley had announced his retirement from professional football with immediate effect.

The 34-year-old had nurtured a knee injury throughout pre-season, with his inability to shake it off resulting in him hanging up his boots.

As posted on West Brom’s official club website, Bartley said: He said: “I am fortunate to have represented some outstanding clubs during my career and Albion holds a particularly special place in my heart.

“Unfortunately, a knee injury I picked up during last season has led me to make the difficult decision to hang up my boots, despite my best efforts to rehabilitate from it.

“I consider myself incredibly lucky to have played the game I love, and it is the highs and lows of football that have helped make me the man I am today.

“I would like to place on record my thanks to all at the club for their support during my seven years here. The club is fortunate to have some outstanding people working at all levels and I’m lucky to have established some special friendships along the way.

“I’ll continue to support Ryan Mason and the lads and don’t plan on being a stranger at The Hawthorns – a special place that I will always be fond of.”

Bartley, who made 232 appearances while at The Hawthorns, was part of a defensive line that did possess depth for a 46-game season, with himself, Caleb Taylor, George Campbell and Nat Phillips all options, even in the event of a potential Heggem departure.

But the shock loss of a vastly experienced figure poses a tricky question for Albion over where they go next, with the club only a couple of injuries away from having a crisis in that position for a second season running.

Therefore, this may mean that Albion reluctantly rebuff any further offers for Heggem in order to maintain such crucial depth, but at the same time that will hinder the rest of the squad, with significant spending needing to be made in numerous areas for the club to sustain a promotion push back to the Premier League.

Torbjorn Heggem change could lead to Tom Fellows exit at West Brom instead

With West Brom potentially having a change of plans to keep hold of Torbjorn Heggem, the club faces a stick or twist decision when it comes to Tom Fellows, who is the only other player who can generate a significant transfer fee.

There’s no doubt that such a high amount of money would be able to improve not only the quality, but the quantity of the squad, too, with this being vitally important so Albion can be as well-equipped as possible to take on the hurdles that a demanding Championship season throws.

And as much as an exit would pain Albion fans, it’s whether it has to happen for the greater good, as his value could plummet if he doesn’t recreate his form from last seaon.

Albion have made mistakes in the past of hanging on to players for too long, so it will be interesting to see what stance Shilen Patel and Andrew Nestor take in the coming weeks.

It’s crunch time as far as Albion are concerned, with an injection of cash needed to help deliver the supporters’ demands of fresh blood.