Football League World
·12 October 2024
In partnership with
Yahoo sportsFootball League World
·12 October 2024
The Baggies may want to both keep and sign players when the transfer window reopens
A strong start to the 2024/25 Championship season for West Brom has hit some hurdles in the last couple of weeks.
After losing out to Southampton in the play-off semi-finals last season, the Baggies will again have been eyeing a push for promotion to the Premier League this time around.
Things had initially started well for Carlos Corberan's side in that sense, with five wins and a draw putting them top of the early Championship standings.
However, that has since given way to a return of just one point from their last three league games, causing West Brom to slip to fourth in the current standings.
In doing so, that may have underlined the need for the club to strengthen further when the transfer market reopens at the turn of the year, if they are to remain competitive right at the top of the table.
So with that in mind, we've taken a look at some deals that might be involved in an ideal January transfer window for West Brom, right here.
There is a good chance that the Baggies will need to sign some central defensive reinforcement at the turn of the year.
While Paddy McNair is currently on loan at The Hawthorns, he is due to leave at the end of December, ready for his parent club San Diego FC joining the MLS in 2025.
That will leave West Brom needing to bring in a new centre-back, and that could perhaps come in the form of Stelios Andreou.
The Cypriot international currently plays for Belgian side Charleroi, and was linked with a move to The Hawthorns back in the summer.
He may therefore be an option to replace McNair, and with Championship rivals Stoke and Cardiff also credited with an interest, signing him could be a bit of a coup for the Baggies.
There has been something of a reliance on Josh Maja for goals at West Brom so far this season, with the striker scoring seven goals already this season.
Other than the 25-year-old, only Alex Mowatt, (three) has scored more than once for Corberan's side since the start of the campaign.
As a result, they may want to ease the pressure on Maja, but will also not want to burden Daryl Dike too much, when he returns from another long injury lay-off.
It could therefore make sense to make a fresh move to sign a striker such as Ipswich Town's Ali Al- Hamadi, who was reportedly the subject of loan offers from Championship clubs in the summer.
The Iraq international helped the Tractor Boys win promotion to the Premier League last season after joining in January, but his played just 35 minutes in the league in the current campaign.
A temporary move away could make sense come January, and his impact in the second-half of last season at Portman Road, means he could help a promotion-chasing side such as West Brom.
Having finally become a first-team regular for West Brom last season, Tom Fellows has wasted no time in becoming a key man at The Hawthorns.
The winger has been a major threat going forward for Corberan's side, which has not gone unnoticed elsewhere.
It was reported in the summer that Southampton had seen a bid rejected for the 21-year-old, amid interest from another Premier League side in the form of Everton.
Such interest highlights his ability, and West Brom are not going to want someone as influential as him go in January, especially when he does have the potential to develop and improve even further.
Live
Live