Exclusive: Kevin Phillips raves about potential West Brom deal to sign 28y/o PL player
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 has been raving about the prospect of West Brom signing defender Shane Duffy from Brighton this summer.
According to the Daily Mail, the Baggies have held initial talks about signing the 28-year-old as Slaven Bilic aims to strengthen his defence.
Phillips has suggested that newly-promoted teams should always be looking to improve the spine of their squad and he sees Duffy being able to do that at The Hawthorns.
“I’ve said all along, if you come out of the Championship, you want that blend down the spine of the team and you want to get someone in who has got experience – which Duffy has. He could be a good option,” Phillips told West Brom News.
“If you can get the finances right and the deal is right, he could be a decent signing.”
Duffy has 96 Premier League appearances and 33 caps for the Republic of Ireland to his name so he is certainly someone who’s experienced enough to be able to make a difference at West Brom.
He also has the leadership qualities that Bilic is bound to need in his defence ahead of next season with Duffy also wearing the captain’s armband for his country.
Mick McCarthy last year hailed Duffy as a “proper leader” after making him the Ireland captain.
While we don’t expect Duffy to get the same responsibility at The Hawthorns with Jake Livermore likely to remain as captain, his ability to command the back-line alongside the athletic powerhouse of Semi Ajayi is definitely something Albion fans can get behind.
In other West Brom news, Atletico Madrid are set to sign one of Bilic’s targets.
Be sure to follow West Brom News on Facebook and Twitter for 24/7 updates on the Baggies and more exclusive interviews with Kevin Phillips.