Kevin Phillips: 23-goal striker would be ideal for West Brom in PL – Exclusive
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Phillips has suggested that West Brom should try to sign Aleksandar Mitrovic from Fulham if they go up and the Cottagers don’t.
Mitrovic, 25, has been in deadly form this season for Fulham, scoring 23 goals in 34 Championship appearances to make him the league’s top goalscorer.
West Brom’s strikers haven’t been anywhere near as prolific with Hal Robson-Kanu currently leading the goalscoring charts at The Hawthorns having found the net 10 times this term.
If West Brom win promotion back to the Premier League then there’s a good chance that Slaven Bilic will be in the market for a new striker and Serbia international Mitrovic is someone who Phillips would like to see head to the Black Country.
“As we all know he’s a Premier League player – that’s for sure,” Phillips said in an interview with West Brom News when asked if Mitrovic could be someone the Baggies target.
“At times he’s shown he’s a class above everyone else, not just with his goals but with his hold-up play, his link-up play, his work-rate, his attitude.
“Sometimes he oversteps the mark but that’s that little bit of aggression you need to be a top striker.
“I would say that if West Brom were to get promoted, he’s the sort of player [they need].
“Me personally, I would like to see a Mitrovic at West Brom in the Premier League because of the style that Slaven plays. If you have that dominant striker you can play off, you can play with two up top or a number 10 around him. Or you could have someone running off him.
“He’s an ideal player but unfortunately, I would say there’d be a host of clubs queuing up to take Mitrovic if Fulham don’t go up.”
As it stands, West Brom are second in the Championship table and six points clear of third-placed Fulham.
No one can say for sure how, or if, the current 2019/20 season will be completed due to the coronavirus pandemic but the Baggies are more likely to go up than the Cottagers at the moment.
Mitrovic would be a top signing for Albion if they go up and Fulham don’t but it would definitely be an expensive signing as plenty of teams would want the ex-Newcastle forward.
In other West Brom news, Charlie Austin’s situation has been clarified.