Exclusive: West Brom tipped to sign PL attacker on £37.5k-a-wk loan deal by ex-Baggie
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 believes that if West Brom were to sign Manchester United attacker Jesse Lingard, it would most likely be on a loan deal.
The Independent reported last week that the Baggies are interested in signing the 27-year-old England international as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer plans a summer clear-out at Old Trafford.
West Ham and Everton have also been linked with the former Birmingham loanee.
According to statistics website Spotrac, Lingard earns £75,000-a-week on his deal at Man United which could mean that Albion will struggle to sign the much-maligned attacker.
However Phillips has suggested that a loan deal, where the Baggies pay just half of his wages, could be on the cards.
“Jesse, if he is to move on, he will want to go and play week in, week out to try and cement a place in that England Euro 2021 squad,” the former Hawthorns star told West Brom News.
“In terms of wages, it might be out the grasp of West Brom. I don’t think they’ll be willing to pay that sort of money.
“They might get him on loan and have to pay half. But even that, that’s a big layout.
“For me, I still don’t know what Lingard’s best position is. When I look at the West Brom side, if all the players were to stay, those sort of areas [where Lingard usually plays] are already filled. You’ve got Diangana, Robinson, Pereira, Grosicki, Phillips.
“Where does Lingard fit in? I’d be looking at other areas if I was Slaven but it’s always nice to be linked with those sorts of players.”
Lingard has been widely criticised for his performances at Man United over the past couple of seasons with the attacker failing to score or assist a Premier League goal in his last 27 appearances in that competition.
However this is still a player who has been selected regularly by the likes of Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal and David Moyes, who are top managers.
Lingard could benefit greatly from stepping away from Man United and becoming a star player at a team like West Brom but, as Phillips says, a loan deal is way more doable than a permanent transfer, which could cost Albion an arm and a leg.
In other West Brom news, Daryl Burgess could not believe this decision by Bilic in the draw with Blackburn.
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