What's happened to Torbjorn Heggem since he left West Brom? | OneFootball

The Norwegian defender moved to Serie A in 2025

Few West Bromwich Albion supporters would have begrudged Torbjorn Heggem his move to Serie A last summer, even if losing him was a significant blow.

The Norwegian defender enjoyed a remarkable rise during his solitary season at The Hawthorns.

Signed from Swedish side Brommapojkarna in 2024, Heggem quickly established himself as one of the Championship's most reliable defenders, making 45 league appearances and winning Albion's Player of the Season award.

Financial realities ultimately forced West Brom's hand. With the club continuing to navigate well-documented economic challenges, a reported £10 million offer from Bologna represented an opportunity that was difficult to ignore.

Alongside the £10 million sale of academy graduate Tom Fellows to Southampton, the transfer generated vital funds that were reinvested into the Baggies’ rebuild.

Almost a year on from his departure, Heggem appears to have justified Bologna's investment.

Torbjorn Heggem has adapted impressively to life in Serie A

Moving from the Championship to Serie A is rarely straightforward, particularly for a player who had only spent one season in English football.

However, Heggem has established himself as a regular under Vincenzo Italiano during his first campaign in Italy.

The 27-year-old made 27 Serie A appearances during the 2025/26 season, accumulating more than 2,100 league minutes and starting 23 matches as Bologna secured an eighth-place finish.

Although he is yet to register a goal or assist for the Rossoblu, his value has come through his defensive consistency.

Heggem featured heavily across all competitions, including Bologna's Europa League run to the quarter-finals and their appearance in the Supercoppa Italiana final.

His progress has also extended onto the international stage. Having earned his first Norway call-up during his West Brom spell, Heggem has now become a regular part of Stale Solbakken's plans and is in Norway's squad for the 2026 World Cup.

That represents a remarkable trajectory for a player who was competing in Sweden's Allsvenskan less than two years ago.

With Bologna competing for European places and Heggem firmly established in one of Europe's most tactically demanding leagues, there is little evidence to suggest his rise is slowing down.

West Brom’s other £10 million man had a more complicated season than the numbers suggest

Like Heggem, Tom Fellows also left West Brom in a deal worth up to a reported £10 million, but his first season away from The Hawthorns unfolded very differently.

On paper, the winger's numbers represented a clear drop-off. After producing a remarkable 14 Championship assists for the Albion during the 2024/25 campaign, Fellows registered six assists and failed to score in 43 appearances across all competitions for Southampton.

However, those statistics only tell part of the story.

Much of Fellows' debut season at St Mary's was spent operating in a role that differed significantly from the one that made him such a standout performer at West Brom.

Southampton's instability off the pitch also played a role. A turbulent campaign saw managerial change disrupt momentum, with Will Still departing before Tonda Eckert took charge as the club searched for consistency.

Under Eckert, Fellows looked increasingly comfortable and became an important part of a side that rediscovered form after a difficult first half of the season.

While supporters will have hoped for more goals and assists, it would be unfair to judge his first year solely on attacking output.

The coming campaign may ultimately prove a more accurate measure of Fellows' progress.

If Southampton can utilise him in a more advanced wide role on a consistent basis, there remains every chance he can rediscover the threat that made him part of such an exciting Baggies team, alongside Heggem.