"I think it's good" - West Brom praised for Rangers transfer focus - Sunderland & Aston Villa also interested | OneFootball

FLW’s West Brom fan pundit has commented on Albion’s interest in Rangers midfielder Bailey Rice.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

West Brom will be hoping to shake off a slow start to the 2025-26 Championship season and push for promotion under Ryan Mason.

Pressure has continued to mount on the ex-Tottenham Hotspur coach after a lengthy run of poor form, and after the Baggies were 2-0 down in the opening 12 minutes against Swansea City last weekend, it appeared it was only a matter of time before Mason’s short stint came to an end.

But after making four substitutions at half-time, the Black Country outfit turned the game on its head courtesy of another brace from Aune Heggebo, while Jayson Molumby turned from villain to hero to seal a dramatic comeback just five minutes from time, avenging his costly sending off at Coventry City last week.

Whether this can be a catalyst for an upturn in form remains to be seen, but it does evidently prove the players are still playing for Mason and want him to succeed in his first full-time managerial position.

The January transfer window will be an important period for Albion to boost certain positions in the squad in order to push up the table, but it also appears the club is targeting recruits for the following summer.

As per a report by the Daily Mail, West Brom are weighing up a move to bring Rangers defensive midfielder Bailey Rice.

However, they are set to face stiff competition from a trio of clubs that includes West Midlands rivals Aston Villa, along with fellow Premier League outfit Sunderland and League One club Cardiff City.

This is likely to come through a free transfer, with Rice set to let his deal run down at Ibrox having failed to agree terms on a new deal.

It is believed all of West Brom, Sunderland, Aston Villa, and Cardiff have checked on the 19-year-old in recent weeks, while the Baggies and Bluebirds have shown an indication of offering a pre-contract offer to Rice in January when he is able to talk to other interested parties.

With this news in mind, FLW’s West Brom fan pundit has given his thoughts on whether Rice would be a positive addition to Albion.

Speaking to Football League World, West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess believes signing someone of Bailey Rice’s profile is exactly what the club needs to be doing, with a blend of youthful players and experienced figures striking a perfect balance in the squad.

Callum said: “I can’t say that I know too much about Bailey Rice, but the club should definitely start targeting players in the same age range as Rice.

“Obviously, with him being 19, there’s going to be plenty of time and room for him to develop as a player, so that even if he does arrive at The Hawthorns there should still be some patience around him as he develops and hopefully turns into a first-team player for us.

“We saw this summer we were targeting quite a few players who were quite experienced already in the Championship with the likes of Nat Phillips and Chris Mepham, who have got plenty of experience and appearances under their belt.

“Because of this, I think it’s good to get a mix of those experienced players and the likes of Rice, who can hopefully bring some freshness and potential to this team.”

When it comes to the beginning of next season, West Brom are set to be left very light in midfield by the departures of Ousmane Diakite and Toby Collyer.

From this, Albion will be on the lookout for a new number six, and Bailey Rice could be the perfect addition as he looks to make a name for himself.

You can understand why Rice is set on a move away from Rangers himself, as over the last three seasons at the club, he’s made just 16 appearances and hasn’t been given ample enough opportunities to showcase his talents.

West Brom could definitely be a place to do that given their need for midfield options next term, but it’s about whether the Baggies are an appealing enough project to take on, and it could be dependent on whether they can gain promotion back to the Premier League at the end of this campaign.

An area that could be a sticking point for West Brom is Rice’s injury record. The Scotsman recently underwent “big” surgery on a training-related injury towards the end of November, while he was stretchered off last term in that Europa League clash with Athletic Bilbao.

It’s whether the Baggies are prepared to take that gamble, but it could be worth making given he wouldn’t command a transfer fee and wouldn’t be on a massive wage at a Championship club as he is in need to prove himself.