West Brom worry raised over double Tom Fellows and Torbjorn Heggem exits | OneFootball

FLW's Baggies fan pundit believes that the club may be rushed into a panic buy if Fellows or Heggem departs

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 Bromwich Albion begin their 2025/26 campaign this coming Saturday against Blackburn Rovers, and they're doing it with a stronger squad than once feared.

Both Tom Fellows and Torbjorn Heggem have been subject to transfer speculation throughout the summer.

Fellows recorded a league-best 14 assists in 2024/25, and Heggem was voted both Player and Supporters' Player of the Season during his debut campaign at the Hawthorns, highlighting both of their importance to the side, and therefore a desire to keep them past this summer.

It seems like both will at least begin the new Championship campaign at their current club, after talks between Bologna and West Brom for Heggem stalled, and the once-linked Everton now looking elsewhere for a winger addition, rather than Fellows.

For Baggies fans, whilst they can feel some relief that neither have departed just yet, September 1st's transfer deadline seems a long way away, and FLW's Baggies fan pundit, Callum Burgess, feels that a sale too close to the deadline would leave them threadbare in important positions.

West Brom fan pundit outlines biggest fear of the ongoing transfer window

"I think our main fear for the remainder of the transfer window is if we get to the final weeks or days of the window and a major offer hasn't come in for the likes of Fellows or Heggem," Burgess told Football League World.

"Then, say if they do go on to leave late on, we wouldn't have much time to sign a decent replacement."

With Fellows being the main creative outlet within Ryan Mason's side, bringing in someone of the 22-year-old's quality will be difficult, regardless of how long is left in the transfer window.

As for Heggem, the Baggies already have sufficient depth in the centre-back department, with two of their three summer arrivals, Nat Phillips and George Campbell, operating at the back. Additionally, Caleb Taylor returns to the side after excelling on loan at Wycombe Wanderers last season.

Saying that, though, the Norwegian international is arguably the best out of the current crop, and losing him would be a huge blow for Mason and co, regardless of who else they have in his position.

Burgess has faith in his club's backroom staff to have suitable replacements lined up in case one or both depart, but the ideal situation would be if both remained at The Hawthorns past deadline day.

"I'm sure they'd have a shortlist in mind in preparation for whether one, or both, leave, but seeing Albion leave the window short-handed would definitely be my biggest fear," Burgess concluded.

Ryan Mason will hope that both Tom Fellows and Torbjorn Heggem remain at West Brom

Whilst West Brom would stand in good stead to receive eight-figure fees for both Fellows and Heggem if either were to depart this summer, it's clear that, if Ryan Mason wants to compete in his first season in the Hawthorns dugout, it'd be easier if both were to stay.

The Baggies have had to be shrewd this summer, as the club continues to navigate PSR rulings ahead of their fifth consecutive season in the Championship following their 2021 relegation from the Premier League.

This could possibly mean that, if replacements were going to come in for their star duo, dealings would only really be done following their departures, and, like. Burgess said, if either leaves close to September's deadline, it may prove difficult, nigh on impossible, to bring in the quality necessary to challenge for the play-offs.

Mason has had a full pre-season to prepare his squad with both Fellows and Heggem in it, and to break that momentum over the course of the next month could see yet another season where the Baggies plateau in mid-table.