West Brom must be ‘front of the queue’ to sign player Crystal Palace ‘would be stupid’ to sell | OneFootball

FLW’s West Brom fan pundit has commented on whether the Baggies should sign loanee Danny Imray permanently.

West Brom’s Championship status is still on the line due to concerning off-the-field issues.

The Baggies have been in such impressive form under interim boss James Morrison, providing real optimism that they will remain a second tier side next season.

But the Black Country outfit were hit with a major blow after The Telegraph’s John Percy stated that the Black Country outfit had been charged by the EFL with an alleged breach of profit and sustainability rules during the 2024-25 campaign, meaning a minor points deduction is possible.

West Brom have since responded that they have fully complied within the rules and haven’t made any breaches, with a hearing expected later this month to resolve the issue.

Albion’s Championship status right now isn’t secured just yet due to this news, with all connected to the club still unsure over whether the club will be found guilty of a breach and handed a potentially pivotal deduction.

Meanwhile, on the pitch, the Baggies squad has been transformed by the heroics of Morrison, with some first-team figures, who had previously been uninspiring under the likes of Ryan Mason and Eric Ramsay, now flourishing under the Baggies legend.

One of those is loanee Danny Imray, who, after joining from Crystal Palace on loan during the January transfer window, looked out of his depth under Ramsay’s tenure.

But now under Morrison in a 4-4-2 system, Imray has balanced his rugged defensive duties with a front-footed style that the supporters have thoroughly enjoyed watching.

In a midweek victory over Watford, Imray notched his first goal in the blue and white stripes while contributing another assist, and he’s turning into a fan favourite in such a short space of time.

It begs the question whether Albion should go all out to sign Imray permanently, provided their Championship status remains intact, with the defender set to enter the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

With this in mind, FLW’s West Brom fan pundit has had his say on what the club should do as they aim to ramp up plans ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

West Brom told to be at the ‘front of the queue’ to sign Danny Imray

Speaking to Football League World, West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess has urged the Baggies to be at the ‘front of the queue’ to sign Danny Imray, should he be available on a permanent deal, but admitted Crystal Palace would be ‘stupid’ to sell a defender on the rise.

Callum told FLW: “If there’s any indication from Crystal Palace that they might be somewhat open to selling Danny Imray this summer, then Albion need to be at the front of the queue, as he’s been outstanding since (James) Morrison has come in.

“The problem Albion have got is when you consider his performances, and for example, his assist (against Watford), there are a lot of similarities between him and Daniel Munoz, and he’d certainly be the ideal replacement for him or potential backup this summer.

“When you look back at Crystal Palace’s goal in the FA Cup final when (Jean-Philippe) Mateta held the ball up, which in this case was (Josh) Maja, he laid off Munoz with a nice through ball before he pulled it back for (Eberechi) Eze for him to strike home, and that was action-for-action what happened when Maja played through Imray to then pull it back for Isaac Price.

“I think Palace would be stupid to let him go, but if there’s any indication that he’s available, then Albion certainly have to be in there as soon as possible.”

Danny Imray has been at the heart of West Brom transformation

When it comes to standout players during West Brom’s revival under James Morrison, Danny Imray is right at the top of the list.

Simplifying the formation and going back to basics has helped Imray thrive, who, when breaking into the team, originally formed an excellent partnership on the right flank with Jed Wallace, whose advanced and overlapping runs helped the defender break into the open spaces to do damage himself in the final third.

The calf injury to the club captain had hindered Imray partly, but he was back to his best against Watford, marauding forward and providing quality service to the forward line, while getting in on the act himself to top off a Man of the Match display.

Meanwhile, defensively, Imray has been just as outstanding, reading the game so well and more often than not being in the right positions to clear the danger away and help the team go on such a stellar run of clean sheets.

The 22-year-old has been the perfect package for Albion and proven to be such an accomplished Championship player, so adding him to the ranks permanently is exactly what the club needs to keep the momentum going forward under Morrison, should the hierarchy give him the job.

Of course, Crystal Palace will be eager to keep him given he’s on such an upwards trajectory, so it’s important Albion make Imray realise how serious they are about holding onto him, with the defender’s career only set to go further forward if he remains at The Hawthorns.

Becoming such a crucial figure for the team, this could be a signing that gets the Baggies back up towards the right end of the table next season, with his game definitely good enough to represent a promotion-contending side.