West Brom are not reeling after £5m Ipswich Town transfer - Derby County handed them a gem | OneFootball

The Baggies lost their first choice goalkeeper in the January transfer window, but they did not have to look far for a replacement.

It is fair to say losing Alex Palmer in the January transfer window was a fear that many West Bromwich Albion supporters had, and as the days ticked down, their worries started to be realised.

The goalkeeper was signed by Premier League side Ipswich Town for a reported fee of up to £5m on deadline day to replace Arijanet Muric after an extremely disappointing first half of the campaign for the Kosovo international.

Palmer was incredible for the Baggies over the course of the last couple of years, and he shared the Championship Golden Glove with Leeds United's Illan Meslier last season, and this left him vulnerable to being poached by a team in the top flight.

While this could have led to difficulties for West Brom, they had a ready-made replacement already at The Hawthorns, and he has started life as the team's new first-choice shot-stopper in excellent fashion.

Joe Wildsmith has helped alleviate any West Brom fears

Joe Wildsmith left Derby County in the summer following the expiration of his contract, and despite winning promotion to the Championship with his former club, he was willing to wait it out for his opportunity with the Baggies.

It perhaps took longer than he expected to get that first league start, but he has stepped up to the plate and filled the very big gloves of Palmer to give Tony Mowbray a goalkeeper he can trust between the posts.

With five appearances in the second tier to his name with West Brom, he has proven to be extremely reliable, and has registered his first clean sheet since swapping Pride Park for The Hawthorns and the West Midlands outfit may just have a new shot-stopping hero.

After the incredible performances of Palmer over his time at the Baggies, it was always going to be a challenge for the 29-year-old to hit the ground running after such a long time watching on from the sidelines. However, he has picked up from where he left off with the Rams in League One and is already very dependable.

He faced 15 shots against Leeds in his most recent game, and while just two of those were on target, he had to stay focused throughout to ensure that the league leaders did not gain a significant foothold in the game, with his and his team's performance worthy of a point at Elland Road.

Derby must feel frustration after missing out on re-signing Wildsmith

While West Brom have benefited greatly from Wildsmith's decision to leave Derby at the end of last season, his ex-team may feel a tinge of frustration and jealousy that they were not able to retain him.

He was crucial in their promotion campaign, keeping the most clean sheets in the division, while also forming part of the best defence in League One, as the Rams conceded just 37 goals in 46 matches.

Although Wildsmith may have had some regrets just a few months ago, his career has been transformed in the last few weeks, and he must continue to be a rock for West Brom to ensure that they do not go hunting for another number one in the summer.

Palmer's presence is not currently as missed as it could have been, and if the Baggies' number 23 can help lead the team to the play-offs, he could just make himself a hero.