If West Brom beat Birmingham City to ex-Spurs player it would give Ryan Mason one key dilemma | OneFootball

A reunion between Mason and Dele Alli could impact Isaac Price's excellent start to the season

The Championship has become the home of many high-profile stars and upcoming talents in recent seasons, and such a trend is continuing once again in 2025/26.

In what has been dubbed as one of the most exciting second-tier campaigns for many years, the division's transfer record for an incoming was broken by Ipswich Town, with the Tractor Boys acquiring Sindre Walle Egeli for £17.5m, whilst the likes of Sverre Nypan, Jens Cajuste, Kyogo Furuhashi, David Strelec and Malick Yalcouye all made eye-catching transfer switches of their own

Despite the summer transfer window drawing to a close, there is still scope for the aforementioned trend to continue, with as many as four sides in the division linked with moves for former PFA Young Player of the Year and 37-time international attacking midfielder, Dele Alli, on a free transfer.

One of those clubs comes in the form of West Bromwich Albion, who remain unbeaten under the newly-appointed Ryan Mason in what is the 34-year-old's first managerial role after previously working as an assistant at Tottenham Hotspur.

However, as much as a move for Alli would cast further eyes on developments at The Hawthorns, it would present Mason with a major dilemma involving the Baggies' star performer so far this season.

Dele Alli linked with potential West Bromwich Albion transfer amid Birmingham City, Wrexham competition

Alli's career trajectory has been well-documented at length, with the 29-year-old playmaker bursting onto the Premier League stage with Tottenham after lighting up the League One stage with hometown club, MK Dons.

Despite racking up 269 appearances for the North London club under Mauricio Pochettino, José Mourinho and Mason - during his brief spell as interim boss - Alli has only played 29 times since the summer of 2022 for Everton, Besiktas and most recently, Como.

After signing an 18-month contract with the Italian side in January, which saw him play for just nine minutes against AC Milan, the former England international's contract was terminated by mutual consent last week, leading to speculation of a potential Championship move.

Unsurprisingly, the equally ambitious and big-spending duo of Birmingham City and Wrexham have been mooted as potential destinations as well as Swansea City - with investor Luka Modrić reportedly involved in transfer discussions - and Albion, with Alli and Mason previously having the connection of being teammates and colleagues at White Hart Lane and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Indeed, after starring for Spurs in a 2-0 success over West Brom's local rivals, Wolves, in May 2021, the current Baggies boss sung the praises of a rejuvenated Alli, stating: "But for me, Dele was excellent. I don't really like singling out players but it's hard not to.

"I'm sure everyone felt it. He ran, he pressed, he created opportunities. I'm sure he's disappointed he didn't get a goal himself but it was an excellent No 10 performance, so I'm really pleased."

Alli skipped the Championship during his rapid rise to young stardom 10 years ago, with Spurs acquiring his services as an 18-year-old for just £5m back in January 2015, just months before MK Dons were promoted to the second-tier for the first time ever.

There is no doubt that the capture of such a talented performer - who is eager to resurrect his career after a stagnant three-year period in which personal issues have come to light - ahead of potential promotion rivals, would be a major coup for Albion on a free transfer.

However, it begs the question as to how it would impact Isaac Price, who is currently flourishing for club and country in an advanced midfield role.

Potential West Brom, Dele Alli agreement would present Ryan Mason with Isaac Price dilemma

Similarly to the potential signing of Alli, Albion have been praised at length for the signing of Isaac Price back in January, with the Northern Ireland international becoming a standout performer in B71.

The Everton academy graduate was signed from Standard Liege under Tony Mowbray, yet it is Mason who is truly reaping the rewards of such a shrewd transfer agreement.

Following his move to the West Midlands in the winter, Price was utilised in an array of positions, predominantly featuring on the right side of midfield or at right-back, as well as showcasing his strong technical ability with a fine volley against Hull City in March.

However, with Mason now at the helm, the 21-year-old has found himself in an advanced role in the centre of the park with Jed Wallace and Mikey Johnston, most notably, either side of him, and the new boss couldn't have asked for a better start to the season, with Price scoring three times and posting an assist in the opening four games.

He has also featured in said role for Northern Ireland in World Cup Qualifiers against Luxembourg and Germany most recently, becoming the country's youngest player to hit double figures in terms of goals during Sunday's 3-1 defeat in Cologne.

The Pontefract-born man exudes confidence at present, which is only a further boost to West Brom's promotion bid, which continues on Saturday against Derby County.

Therefore, whilst reuniting with Alli would be an ideal scenario for Mason, who clearly knows the character in question more than most, it doesn't necessarily guarantee immediate minutes from the off, unless Price's versatility was to be used once again, albeit it could make Albion's prized asset less effective.