In-demand West Brom player could complete switch to PL club on July 1 – report
Crystal Palace are in pole position to sign West Brom full-back Nathan Ferguson, who is also wanted by Tottenham and Arsenal, according to football.london.
Ferguson’s contract at The Hawthorns expires on June 30 and the news outlet reports that Palace could complete a deal for the 19-year-old as early as July 1.
However, the Baggies academy product will not be able to play for them this season due to Premier League registration rules. But even if he could be registered, the youngster is recovering from surgery he underwent in the winter after a failed medical stopped him joining Palace for £11million in January.
Roy Hodgson isn’t the only one keen on signing Ferguson with Tottenham and Arsenal also reportedly hot on the heels of the defender.
The Eagles do seem favourites to secure a deal though and hopefully it happens sooner rather than later just so Ferguson can move on and end what has been an ugly final six months as his time as a West Brom player.
Ferguson really should have signed a new contract to stay at The Hawthorns.
Before Slaven Bilic started him against Nottingham Forest in August, Ferguson had exactly zero senior appearances in his career.
A man of the match display at the City Ground led to the youngster becoming a regular starter for Albion and he ended up making 21 Championship appearances up until the end of January, when the move to Selhurst Park fell through.
West Brom fans have been critical of the youngster but a move to an established Premier League club like Palace, who have an opening at right-back and a good track record of developing young players, is definitely a better option than joining Spurs or Arsenal.
We think the best decision for him would have been to sign a contract extension at West Brom but at least he is not taking the worst possible decision by joining a top-six side’s Under-23s.
In other West Brom news, Albion are due to announce a new deal for this long-serving player.
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