Everton comments suggest West Brom target not lined up as Okay Yokuslu replacement: View | OneFootball

West Brom's interest in Isaac Price is not intended as a replacement for Okay Yokuslu.

The departure of Okay Yokuslu to Trabzonspor could prove rather damning for West Bromwich Albion, with the midfielder proving one of their best players last season.

With just under a week to go until the season kicks off, there is still concern over who can fill this role alongside Alex Mowatt.

Many thought that the interest shown in Standard Liege's Isaac Price was the Baggies looking to replace Yokuslu. However, Everton's former under-23s head coach David Unsworth released some key details back in 2021 about where Price is best suited to be on a football pitch.

Unfortunately for the Albion faithful, Price is not a defensive midfielder; he's more of a box-to-box player. While he could fill a defensive role if signed, Carlos Corberán knows replicating last season's success requires players in their best positions.

So far, they have submitted two bids for the youngster, with both being rejected, as per Sacha Tavolieri. This shouldn't stop them from pursuing Price and, despite not being a Yokuslu successor, he could be a great addition to the side.

David Unsworth raves about Isaac Price

Having been a head coach in the academy at Everton for a number of years, Unsworth got to spend a lot of time with Price before his move to Standard Liege.

The former Sheffield United player clearly thought well of the Northern Irishman, as the youngster made the most appearances of anyone in the academy in 2021-22.

During that season, Unsworth spoke about where Price performs at his best: "Isaac is a box-to-box midfielder. He is a great passer, he's got a bit of everything."

Not being the only one who admires the midfielder, Gerard Lytlle, Price's former under-19s coach said this about him: "He is a tall, hard-working central midfielder who is technically very good."

He added: "When you are profiling a player, he has a really good chance because of his height, physicality, technical ability and the mental side. He is also at a big club."

Clearly, Price is extremely well thought of by a number of coaches and his time at Liege has only furthered his development as a central midfielder.

Isaac Price will not replace Yokuslu for West Brom

Whilst Price did feature in a deeper role at youth level, these comments and his emergence at Les Rouges as a central midfielder would point to him being a more dynamic midfielder than Yokuslu.

Statistically, Yokuslu is far superior in the majority of defensive midfield statistics, with a notable standout being the Turks dribbled past per game statistic being at a minimal 0.5 per 90. This is a huge variation on Price's, which stands at 1.2, showing he plays predominantly higher up the pitch.

In addition, Yokuslu's aerial duel percentage winning rate of 72% far outperforms Price's of 53%.

This isn't to say Price is poor at defensive work. In fact, his tackles per 90 minutes rank in the top eight percent among central midfielders in the Pro League, boasting a success rate of 74%.

The heat maps provide the clearest indication though, with Yokuslu's displaying a much deeper role compared to the Liege midfielder.

Finances could stop Corberan from signing Price

Based off these statistics, Price would be a valuable addition to Corberan's squad in that box-to-box midfield role.

However, the financial guidelines of the Championship could deny them from signing the midfielder. With Albion nearing the height of the Profit and Sustainability Rules, the EFL are keeping a tight grip on them to ensure they do not overspend.

This means that any transfers have to be sanctioned by not only the club but the EFL as well. Whilst they are able to financially afford a deal for Price, this spending could see them breach these rules.

If they can avoid any implications, then they should go all out and sign Price. However, Baggies fans cannot expect him to do the same job that Yokuslu did at the heart of midfield last season.