Report – Bilic plots summer raid on former club to bring 28y/o to West Brom
Slaven Bilic is plotting to bring Besiktas midfielder Adem Ljajic to West Brom this summer, according to Turkish outlet Fanatik.
A report from the publication claims that the Croatian manager is looking to raid his former club for the 28-year-old Serbian playmaker ahead of an expected return to the Premier League next season.
Ljajic has hit five goals and seven assists in 27 appearances across all competitions this season, having arrived on a permanent deal from Serie A side Torino last summer.
The report suggests that Bilic is waiting for a clearer indication of how things will pan out amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic before instructing the Baggies to make their move for the midfielder.
Bilic managed Besiktas between 2013 and 2015, but never worked with Ljajic, who initially joined the Turkish giants in 2018 on loan before converting to a full-time contract last year.
Ljajic has also had spells with Fiorentina, Inter Milan, and Roma.
So, should we be getting excited about a potential summer swoop for the Serbian?
Admittedly, the report from Fanatik is a little light on detail.
There are no hints given as to how much Ljajic would cost, or how likely Bilic would be to persuade him to move to England.
But less than 12 months ago Besiktas paid £5.85 million for him, and after a fairly middling season, it’s hard to see how that fee could have skyrocketed in the meantime.
So far this term he has averaged 2.3 key passes per 90 minutes in the Turkish league, as well as having an averaged pass completion rate of 88.9%, as per Whoscored.
As a point of reference, Grady Diangana has averaged 1.8 key passes per 90 minutes, as per Whoscored, and has a pass completion rate of 79.7%.
There are, therefore, certainly reasons to believe that Ljajic could be an asset to the Baggies, and he’s a player who clearly has good pedigree.
In 2009, Manchester United came within a whisker of signing the Serbian in a deal worth around £9 million, only to pull out at the last minute.
Perhaps his career has never quite hit the heights is might have had he wrapped up that move, but he’s still done okay for himself, and could be a decent acquisition.
In other West Brom news, ‘Promote them’ – Sky Sports pundit backs West Brom for PL return amid Coronavirus uncertainty.