Shilen Patel shares exciting West Brom financial update ahead of 2026/27 | OneFootball

West Bromwich Albion ran into financial concerns in 2025/26 but Shilen Patel has addressed those in his latest update...

Since completing his takeover of West Bromwich Albion in early 2024, Shilen Patel has largely steadied the ship both on and off the pitch at The Hawthorns.

That's despite finishing in a disastrous 21st and having two points deducted in 2025/26. Now, however, there is growing optimism about West Brom and their chances in a division with two extra play-off places next season.

After years of financial uncertainty under previous owner Guochuan Lai, it's inarguable that Shilen Patel has brought a renewed sense of greater stability and arguably also ambition to The Hawthorns. While promotion back to the Premier League has so far proved to be elusive, there have been encouraging signs that the club is moving in the right direction.

Sensible recruitment has largely followed, while a greater emphasis on long-term sustainability, and a willingness to invest in the club's future as well have all helped restore optimism among supporters. Patel has consistently stressed the importance of building West Brom on solid financial foundations rather than chasing short-term success.

Shilen Patel explains the financial outlook for West Brom heading into 2026/27

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It is his long-term measured approach that should leave the Baggies in a stronger position to compete for promotion over the coming seasons while remaining sustainable off the pitch. Isaac Price, Mikey Johnston, and others have been big successes in the market since his arrival.

Patel has since revealed an update on the club's financial outlook as West Brom look to compete with parachute payment clubs like Southampton, Burnley, West Ham United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Speaking via an open letter on West Brom's official website, Patel said: "Our inherited Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) challenges have been exhaustively discussed and analysed over the last two-plus years, and nobody is happier than me to finally put that conversation in the past.

"We faced the P&S chasm head on, selling players and resetting the wage bill while also rebuilding the men’s first-team squad for long-term success. Though that challenge ended in a frustrating two-point deduction, we now begin a new phase where we can be guided by our own budget and sensibilities rather than circumstance and external pressures.

"I can understand and identify with the frustration and disappointment of supporters regarding many aspects of the sanctions and the process leading to it. I remain proud of the way the whole club did what needed to be done to eliminate a breach initially projected to be in the tens of millions, and I strongly feel that the emphasis we placed on compliance and open dialogue with the CFRU was exemplary.

"However we may feel about the outcome, we put ourselves in a position where the deduction did not rewrite our season and an appeal would not change our future. The club benefits when we can spend money on players and infrastructure instead of lawyers and hearings, and so we chose to put our full focus on the future.

"On May 15, there was a vote confirming what we had long expected, switching the Championship to new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rules around squad spending. This is a change we have been preparing for since before the 24/25 season, and we are comfortable that we can execute our plan within the new regulations."

Why SCR will be a big benefit to West Brom in the Championship over PSR

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The Championship's transition from P&S (or PSR) towards SCR regulations could prove to be beneficial for many clubs in the division currently, including West Brom. Rather than focusing primarily on accounting profits and losses over a multi-year period, SCR places greater emphasis on ensuring wage bills and squad-related spending remain proportionate to a club's football revenue.

That should reward well-run clubs with sustainable financial models instead of those relying heavily on owner funding or one-off player sales. That is how they have operated for some time under Patel. For the Baggies, who have spent recent years carefully rebuilding their financial position under Patel, the change really ought to work in their favour.

Patel has consistently prioritised sustainability over excessive spending, meaning the Baggies may find themselves in a stronger position to invest intelligently while remaining compliant. If managed correctly, SCR could help create a more level playing field and allow West Brom to compete without being hamstrung by the lingering effects of previous financial difficulties.

Another important aspect of the new SCR framework is the flexibility it gives owners to support their clubs. Championship owners will be permitted to inject up to £33 million of equity over a rolling three-year period, capped at £15 million in any single season, with that funding counting towards a club's spending allowance.

For West Brom, that could be particularly significant under Patel compared to other smaller clubs in the league. Rather than being heavily restricted by historical accounting losses under PSR, Patel now has a clearly defined mechanism to invest his own money in the club while remaining within the new financial framework.