West Brom can now seal heartwarming transfer after Ipswich Town reveal | OneFootball

A door for an emotional West Brom return has opened for one particular ex-Baggie following his current club's transfer business

West Bromwich Albion's summer window is well underway, and as James Morrison prepares for his first pre-season at the helm of the Baggies, more important business needs to be done, as a return of a former fan favourite is well and truly on the cards.

West Brom, by all accounts, will be aiming to have a much stronger campaign than last time around, having only just scraped survival by the skin of their teeth.

Their disappointing year will have come as a shock to the vast majority of Baggies supporters, who endured their worst league finish in over 25 years, which could have ended in total disaster if it weren't for the heroics of former midfielder James Morrison stepping up to the helm.

As the Scot prepares for his first permanent gig as head coach in first-team football, the additions of Barney Stewart, Jimmy-Jay Morgan, and Carter Pinnington will go some way to helping their chances next time around.

However, with Max O'Leary signing an extension that sees the former Bristol City shot-stopper stay at the Hawthorns for the foreseeable future, a new option to push for a place in goal in the Black Country will be required, as the door for the return of a former fan favourite has now opened wide.

West Brom receive boost over the potential return of Ipswich Town goalkeeper Alex Palmer

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The goalkeeping area was a bit of a difficult one for West Brom to navigate last season.

Joshua Griffiths started as the club's number one under Ryan Mason, but after a string of poor performances, was replaced by Joe Wildsmith, who didn't fare much better, in truth.

By the time the January window rolled around, O'Leary had been signed on a short-term contract to become the club's new first-choice shot-stopper, and after a solid second half of the season, has since been rewarded with a fresh deal in the Black Country.

However, with Griffiths having left to join Stoke City for around £600k, another option between the sticks to push O'Leary wouldn't go amiss, with one obvious name having been linked.

Alex Palmer, like Griffiths, came through the youth system at the Hawthorns, and progressed his way to the first team, making 104 appearances for West Brom before joining Ipswich Town in January 2025.

Prior to his departure, Palmer prevented 1.90 goals across the 2023/24 campaign for West Brom, as per FotMob, whilst saving three of the six penalties he faced, proving his capability at Championship level.

However, following relegation back to the second tier, Palmer lost his place as number one to Christian Walton at Portman Road, and now, the Tractor Boys have completed the addition of Dutch goalkeeper Kayne van Oevelen.

Van Oevelen, 22, made 32 Eredivisie appearances for FC Volendam last season, and is expected to provide immediate competition to Walton in Suffolk, opening the door for Palmer to exit.

Palmer, 29, has been linked with a return to the Hawthorns as of late, and having seemingly been demoted to third-choice by incoming boss Gary O'Neil at Ipswich, could be looking for an escape route this summer.

With West Brom in search of a new goalkeeper, Palmer is the obvious candidate to fill that gap in the Black Country, and a deal looks increasingly likely to be struck following Ipswich's recent business.

Having left for Portman Road for an initial £2 million, a fee in a similar region would likely be accepted by Ipswich, as the Baggies must pounce on this recent news to bring back the former fan favourite this summer.

James Morrison should go all in for Palmer after Ipswich Town's dealings

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Whilst O'Leary impressed in his limited games for the Baggies since his arrival, much of the credit for West Brom's defensive record in the latter stages of the season must go to Morrison and the way he structured his side to allow fewer shots on goal.

Palmer, with over a century of appearances in the Black Country, will be keen to re-establish himself as a number one elsewhere this summer after a year on the bench for the majority of games, and a return to where it all began makes an incredible amount of sense.

Morrison will be under pressure from the first whistle next campaign, and he can do his chances the world of good by bringing Palmer to the club.