Exclusive: Kevin Phillips delivers verdict as West Brom linked with 19-goal centre-forward
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 is unimpressed by a report linking West Brom with a summer move to sign Huddersfield top goalscorer Karlan Grant.
According to TeamTalk, the Baggies are leading the race to sign the 22-year-old striker, who has scored 19 goals in 43 Championship appearances this season.
Slaven Bilic is bound to need a new striker for next season as he plans for life back in the Premier League but Phillips wants someone more proven in the top-flight than Huddersfield’s Grant.
“I’ve watched him a few times this year. He’s been a bit hit of miss for me, even though he’s scored a few goals,” Phillips told West Brom News when asked about the Grant speculation.
“It will be very difficult to make that step up [to the Premier League]. It’s a gamble.
“I would rather bring in someone who has more Premier League experience, who know they can play there and has scored at that level.
“I’m not daft. I know that’s not as easy as it seems and it’ll cost you a few quid but you have to spend some money if you want any chance of staying in the Premier League.
“The striker is the most important area for West Brom.”
Grant does have Premier League experience, albeit very little.
Huddersfield signed Grant in January 2019 in a bid to help them avoid relegation from the top-flight.
The former Charlton striker did well to score four goals in 13 Premier League appearances last season but, unfortunately for the Terriers, failed to stop them getting relegated to the Championship.
Grant is young, English, has a clear eye for goal and would be an improvement on the strikers West Brom currently have.
He might be an expensive addition with reports saying he could be worth £15million but that is the kind of money Albion need to be prepared to pay to bring in someone who’s better than Charlie Austin or Hal Robson-Kanu.
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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