West Brom: £5m George Campbell claim made as Celtic circle | OneFootball

FLW's West Brom fan pundit can't see George Campbell leaving for Celtic this summer

The sooner the 2025/26 campaign is forgotten at West Brom, the better, but despite their 21st-place finish, there were some positives in how well they defended at points.

The Baggies came under much-deserved praise towards the tail end of the season for how well organised they were under the interim leadership of James Morrison, while they went on a 10-game unbeaten run to steer clear of relegation.

West Brom kept seven clean sheets in eight games in the lead-up to the final day, which meant that a disastrous drop to the third tier for only the second time in their history was avoided, even after being handed a two-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules.

But their defence was something to be proud of throughout the season, as the Baggies allowed the fewest shots on target against them in the Championship and conceded the third-fewest expected goals, too, per Opta.

With Nat Phillips, Chris Mepham and Krystian Bielik at the club, that can be expected, but new arrival George Campbell settled in perfectly after arriving from MLS side Montreal, performing well at right back and then at centre back during the latter stages of the campaign when the Baggies went on that impressive run of clean sheets.

West Brom fan pundit doesn't expect George Campbell to leave this summer

After an impressive debut season at the Hawthorns, it's no surprise that Campbell is being linked with a move away already. Reports last month stated that Celtic were monitoring him, and that the 24-year-old was interested in a move to the Scottish champions.

With fellow USMNT centre-backs Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty plying their trades at Celtic Park, and the latter earning a spot in Mauricio Pochettino's World Cup squad this summer off the back of his season at Celtic, it's a link that does make sense.

However, FLW's Baggies fan pundit, Callum Burgess, doesn't think that the defender will be making a switch anytime soon, urging West Brom to place a price tag on him that he doesn't think a side like Celtic can afford.

"I'm feeling confident of Albion's chances of keeping Campbell this summer," he said.

"If he does go, my expectations would be that he'd be leaving for something close to £5m, which would be a hefty sum for a Scottish club to be forking out for a player.

"I think I'd have concerns if someone from a major European league came in for him, but I'd expect that he'd remain an Albion player for this coming season, at the very least."

Now, Celtic did fork out over £5 million for the signing of Trusty a couple of years ago, with the American international arriving for a reported $7.8 million (£5.8 million). They spent more during that summer, too, with Arne Engels costing a club record £11 million.

Still, there'd be questions about whether the reigning Scottish champions need to sign someone like Campbell this summer, with the likes of Trusty, Carter-Vickers, when fit, and Liam Scarles providing plenty of centre-back competition.

It may not be a case of whether Celtic can afford Campbell, but whether it'd be a worthwhile investment this summer.

West Brom would receive a big boost if George Campbell remains at the Hawthorns next season

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With all the depth at centre-back that West Brom have, some may argue that losing Campbell wouldn't be the end of the world, especially if he commands a decent fee.

However, the 24-year-old was arguably the best defender out of the crop of very good Championship operators in his first season in England. Per Fotmob, he ranked in the top 5% of centre-backs for defensive contributions, blocked shots, and clearances and was in the top 6% in aerial duels won, too.

He had an 84.9% pass completion rate with over 1,500 completed passes, too, so he was good with the ball at his feet as well as being dominant in the air.

Additionally, his versatility, being able to play on the right or in the centre, is invaluable for the Baggies, as he can cover wherever needed. If he can improve after a strong first season in the Championship, he may be worth even more than the mooted £5 million that Burgess placed upon him this time next year.