James Morrison drops new West Brom transfer update | OneFootball

The Baggies boss insists he’s still in the market for a traditional winger.

West Brom boss James Morrison has revealed the club remains in the market for a traditional winger before the end of the summer transfer window, with his current narrow 4-2-2-2 formation enforced due to the personnel he has available.

As reported by the Express & Star, Morrison was speaking before his side’s 2026-27 Championship opener against Norwich City, with the Baggies facing a tough task at Carrow Road to get their first points on the board.

Albion follow up their trip to East Anglia by hosting Burnley the following weekend at The Hawthorns, before going back on their travels at the end of August to play likely promotion contenders Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

Therefore, it could be a tough start for the Baggies, so patience must be afforded to Morrison as he looks to get the club back into promotion contention following on from their relegation battle last term.

In order to achieve this, Albion will need to add more fresh faces to the group before the 1st September deadline, with Morrison offering a transfer update and signalling which position the recruitment team needs to bolster.

West Brom’s summer business so far and winger crisis

The Black Country outfit have already been busy so far this summer by bringing in seven new players, with 20-year-old French midfielder Rabby Nzingoula the latest arrival from Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg, a player who was exclusively revealed to be of interest to the Baggies here at FLW.

Other signings have included defenders Nolan Galves, Carter Pinnington and Conor Townsend, midfielder Felix Horn Myhre, and forwards Barney Stewart and Jimmy-Jay Morgan, with all more than playing their parts over pre-season and in their romping Carabao Cup first round victory last week.

But an area Albion have failed to strengthen so far is out wide. It’s been well-documented throughout the summer about the Baggies’ lack of wide options due to the departures of Jed Wallace and Karlan Grant.

It’s left Mikey Johnston as their only recognised winger after Ollie Bostock failed to make the matchday squad for last week’s victory over Rotherham United.

It’s prompted Morrison to adopt a narrower 4-2-2-2 formation, which, against the Millers, involved Isaac Price and Harry Whitwell playing just behind the front two of Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Aune Heggebo, whilst the majority of the width was provided by the flying wing-backs in Nolan Galves and Callum Styles.

James Morrison offers West Brom transfer update and new formation admission

Action Images

As per an article from the Express & Star’s West Brom reporter Lewis Cox, Baggies boss James Morrison has revealed he is still on the lookout to add a traditional winger to the squad before the end of the summer transfer window.

He also rebuffed claims he wants to move forward this season with a narrower formation, instead admitting that he has been forced into the change due to the personnel he currently has.

When asked whether he wanted a traditional winger, Morrison replied: “Yes - there is no big answer, just yes.

He added: “Every other team now, there is the beauty of loads of information handed to you.

“Teams are well-coached, so again, we have to be flexible. I want that.

“I want wingers. There’s nothing better than seeing a good winger go one-v-one and get you off your seat. We'll see what happens.”

Then, when asked about whether a narrow style was his preferred way of setting up, Morrison added: “No, that's not the case.

“It's just a system that we've had to fall onto with personnel, and we're doing and coaching it the best way we can.”

West Brom must supply what James Morrison demands

Given James Morrison has opened up about the current state of affairs at West Brom, it isn’t ideal that the boss hasn’t got what he wants in his first-team squad, which has led to him adapting and finding a system that works with the players at his disposal.

While he did play the likes of Isaac Price and Jayson Molumby out wide towards the back end of last season, it’s clearly something Morrison doesn’t want to try out again, and he’s essentially crying out for further support from the Albion hierarchy.

For Albion to succeed, Morrison must have all the tools to work with, so, by hook or by crook, the recruitment team have to bring players in that both fit Morrison’s style of play and have the pace, physicality and technical skills needed to thrive in the Championship.

It’ll be intriguing to see whether Morrison gets his man, with the Baggies requiring a dangerous right-sided player who can compliment Mikey Johnston when he fully recovers from his fractured ankle injury.