West Brom should ready January exit with Carlos Corberan unconvinced | OneFootball

January action should be taken to cash in on West Brom's struggling striker as Carlos Corberan remains disinterested.

As one West Bromwich Albion summer signing's lack of involvement continues, January may be an opportunity to cash in on the struggling striker with Carlos Corberan remaining unconvinced.

Conversion rate was a particular conundrum for Corberan's side coming into the campaign, as Albion were the lowest-scoring side in the top six last season, with top-goal scorer Brandon Thomas Asante only managing to net 11 goals.

But with the July arrival of 29-year-old Devante Cole at West Brom, many Baggies fans were excited by the prospect of such a prosperous goalscorer supporting high-flyer Josh Maja for this campaign, with the former Tykes man registering 18 goals in the 2022/23 season, a number that awarded him third in the golden boot race and helped Barnsley qualify for the play-offs.

As Albion sought a similar prayer for play-off contention, Cole would seemingly be key to this goal with Josh Maja unable to frequently play 90 minutes since recovering from his torn ankle ligament last term, which kept the forward sidelined from January.

Despite there being no other recognised strikers within Corberan's squad however, Cole only managed to make one cameo appearance in the blue and white stripes from the season's advent to November, being absent from six squads within this period.

Corberan himself addressed the admission of the struggling striker, citing his own guilt and "regret", offering the forward a semblance of hope that could signal a favour in his fortunes.

Corberan told BBC WM: "There have been possibilities and probably this is something I can regret, that I haven't used him more.

"At the same time, when you need to pick 20 players, from 25, five aren't going to be involved. For sure they have things they can add to the team."

But as Albion found themselves and Maja as the early pace-setters in the second tier, Cole's admission was understandable, but the Baggies began to stop bouncing.

Corberan's "regret" has signalled no change for Cole's future as West Brom winter woes continue

Corberan's side have hit a stumbling block since their scintillating start and now find themselves in eighth position but with only two wins in the previous 15 games.

Even more concerningly for Cole is the fault in firepower West Brom have endured within this run, with Maja goalless in five, but Corberan has not even looked the former Tykes man's way.

Corberan has also withdrawn Maja in the 45th minute in West Brom's penultimate match against Coventry, and in the 65th in Baggie's previous outing vs Watford, a match they were also trailing in and went on to lose, but the Spaniard still couldn't see the value of bringing Cole off the bench even when they needed a goal most.

It seems his lack of quality in the build-up that has become so instrumental to Corberan's playing style is something holding the fast forward back, with the striker's pass accuracy in the bottom 25% of League One forwards last campaign.

The cameo curse seems destined to stay for the 29-year-old as the forward registers the fewest involvement out of every first-team attacker at the club and has even registered more minutes for Albion's U21's with 168.

Corberan could cash in on Cole as early as January

As Cole cannot even force his way into the side when they're struggling, Corberan seemingly sees little future for the 29-year-old in blue and white stripes, leaving a January exit a likely conclusion.

With an estimated £7,500 per week contract, as per Capology, money wouldn't likely be an issue in finding a suitor for the striker, neither would Cole's current contract length with the striker only signing a two-year deal in July.

Given his past goalscoring pedigree, a lower second-tier or even third-tier outlet could prove a formidable fit for all parties, even if only on a temporary spell that could put the striker in the shop window come the summer.

The future of the forward also rests on the currently sidelined Daryl Dike, who will also be vying for a comeback after his suspended spell in the medical room. A comeback that could be the American's last chance to prove his quality as a West Brom player.

But even if the USMNT forward fails to make a comeback in the new year, Corberan and Shilen Patel may look to use the clearing of Cole's wages, even temporarily, to bring a better-suited forward into The Hawthorns as they seek a difference-maker to keep their play-off prayers alive.