Athletic journo assesses WBA transfer plans, names one player who is ‘almost certain to leave’
The Athletic journalist Steven Madeley has delivered his verdict on West Brom’s transfer plans this summer.
The Baggies secure their promotion to the Premier League earlier this week with a 2-2 draw over QPR, and the reporter has assured supporters that there will be some changes to come at The Hawthorns in summer transfer window.
But Madeley does not expect a full overhaul of Slaven Bilic’s squad, with money set to be relatively tight.
Speaking on the Totally Football League Show podcast, he said: “There will need to be some changes, without a doubt.
“There won’t be major surgery on the squad because the funds just won’t be there to conduct major surgery. They’ve already committed to signing Matheus Pereira for just over £8 million, which looks like a real steal given the way he’s done in the Championship, I wouldn’t be surprised if Filip Krovinovic also follows him and signs a permanent deal.
“They’re going to have to replace Chris Brunt, who’s leaving, they’re going to have to replace Gareth Barry, who’s almost certain to leave as well.
“In an ideal world, if money was no object, they’d probably be looking to really transform the squad and bring in six, seven, eight new players, but I don’t see that happening with the budget that they’re going to have and in a way, those players have earned the right to have a go at the Premier League and also, they’ve formed a real kind of togetherness, which hopefully will take them a long way.
“So I think, in reality, you’re probably looking at a small number of quality additions rather than major surgery to the squad.”
Sometimes going big in the transfer market is not the way to go when you have just been promoted.
Both Aston Villa and Fulham have spent big in recent seasons and have subsequently dropped straight back out of the Premier League.
By contrast, Sheffield United were relatively frugal in their expenditure last summer, and have thoroughly excelled all season.
Increasingly, it feels as if togetherness and unity is the best tool that a newly promoted club can employ in the Premier League, and if Albion feel that they have a strong enough core to their group then hopefully they won’t need too many alterations in the coming weeks.
In other West Brom news, in another exclusive story by this site, the Baggies have opened talks over a new contract for this attacker.
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