West Brom will complete new signing today – Sky Sports News journalist
West Brom will complete the signing of Cedric Kipre from Wigan today (Thursday), according to Sky Sports News journalist Alan Myers.
It is understood that the Baggies will pay around £1million for the 23-year-old defender to make him the second signing of the transfer window after winning promotion to the Premier League.
Matheus Pereira has been Albion’s only signing since the end of last season after the Brazilian’s loan deal at The Hawthorns was turned into a permanent one.
Kipre now looks set to become the first new face to appear at The Hawthorns, which will hopefully lead to the floodgates being opened to a number of new arrivals in Slaven Bilic’s squad.
The former Motherwell and Leicester defender made 37 appearances in all competitions for Wigan last season as they suffered relegation from the Championship due to a 12-point deduction for entering administration.
Blackburn were widely reported to have agreed a fee for the French centre-back before West Brom swooped in with Bilic now heading into the new campaign with five centre-back options at his disposal.
It remains to be seen how important a role Kipre would play in Bilic’s squad but he has never played in the Premier League, unlike Ahmed Hegazi and Kyle Bartley.
But, Semi Ajayi was Albion’s stand-out centre-back last season while Dara O’Shea also impressed in the second half of the campaign and neither of them are experienced in the top-flight.
Kipre and Ajayi could be a solid pairing but it would be a bit of a risk given they have not impressed above the Championship before.
In other West Brom news, Albion are close to agreeing personal terms with this forward.
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