West Brom told they were right to avoid £3m Celtic transfer gamble | OneFootball

Despite being linked with a move for Johnny Kenny, West Brom missed out on landing the Celtic striker, who joined Preston North End instead

Despite arguably needing an extra striker addition in the summer transfer window, West Brom were unable to bolster the frontline at the eleventh hour.

The Baggies have made a solid start to the campaign under James Morrison in what is his first full campaign at the helm following his brilliant interim spell towards the back end of last season, which steered them to safety.

Morrison got results out of the squad by operating a 4-4-2 system, but with that comes the need for strong depth at the top end of the pitch, especially over the course of a long 46-game campaign.

West Brom underwent a bit of a refresh up top in the summer, with Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Barney Stewart arriving to join Aune Heggebo and Tammer Bany, who will be hoping his injury woes, which have plagued his time at the Hawthorns, have subsided ahead of the new campaign.

West Brom were linked with Johnny Kenny on deadline day, but the 23-year-old moved to Preston North End instead

Action Images

West Brom were on the hunt to potentially add to that striker core on deadline day, and were one of four Championship sides who emerged as late suitors for Celtic frontman Johnny Kenny.

The 23-year-old divided opinion amongst Hoops fans, but made a good impression in the EFL in the latter half of last season, netting six and assisting three in 14 outings for Bolton Wanderers, helping them consolidate their play-off place.

Many assumed that Steven Schumacher's side would be the frontrunners to land Kenny permanently, while West Brom and Blackburn Rovers were also interested. In the end, though, it would be Preston North End who'd sign him, spending a reported £3 million on his services.

FLW's West Brom fan pundit feels Baggies have dodged a bullet by avoiding £3 million Johnny Kenny transfer

Action Images

Preston desperately needed a striker addition before the transfer window slammed shut. Paul Heckingbottom's side lost the likes of Lewis Dobbin and Daniel Jebbison at the end of their loan spells in the summer, and sold Milutin Osmajic to Genoa late in the window, too.

While Kenny has the potential to be a good signing for North End, £3 million at this stage could come across to some as a bit of a panic buy, and FLW's Baggies fan pundit, Callum Burgess, is happy that his side didn't engage in a bidding war for the Celtic man.

"I do think Albion could perhaps have dipped into the loan market to bring someone in who could have added to the forward options," he admitted.

"But I think that spending £3 million on Kenny, albeit after coming off an impressive loan spell with Bolton, that money could have been spent on a more proven striker.

"That being said, I do think there's every opportunity that he does well for Preston."

James Morrison did say that the lack of a deadline day addition was not for the lack of trying, admitting that West Brom "don't have £10 million to wallop down" on signings.

The Baggies were linked with a loan move for Cameron Archer, but the Southampton man ended up joining French side Auxerre, managed by former Saints boss Will Still.

West Brom didn't need to risk big money on a striker in the same way that Preston North End did on deadline day

Action Images

While, in an ideal world, West Brom would have had another striker through the door to complement what they already had, spending decent money on one probably wasn't in the plans, and in a way, it didn't need to be.

The Baggies have a strong striker core, led by Morgan, who has hit the ground running at the Hawthorns with a couple of goals and a couple of assists in four Championship games thus far.

With the likes of new arrival Kareem Tunde able to play further forward and Felix Horn Myhre comfortable operating as a more advanced midfielder behind the striker, there's enough in terms of a contingency plan if players get injured or fatigued throughout the campaign.

Meanwhile, Preston desperately needed forward additions on Tuesday, punctuated by yet another defeat at home against Bristol City, in which the Lilywhites had 18 shots, but only four of them were on target.

Kenny could help that conversion rate go up, and in a way, he kind of has to, as North End could be in serious relegation danger if he doesn't. Therefore, it's clear why they spent £3 million on him. It's a gamble that a side like West Brom doesn't need to take at this stage.