Exclusive: Pundit makes major claim about West Brom-Krovinovic transfer saga
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 do not manage to re-sign Filip Krovinovic soon they will abandon their negotiations with Benfica.
Albion have been going back and forth with the Portuguese giants ever since the end of last season and the newly-promoted Premier League club seem no closer to signing the 25-year-old Croatian even though the new season kicks off this weekend.
Portuguese newspaper Record has claimed that the Baggies want Krovinovic on a loan-to-buy basis that sees them pay £5.4million for him next summer but Benfica are holding out for a £9million permanent deal.
It’s been pretty much the case for the entire transfer window with West Brom trying to figure out ways that will stop them paying a big up-front fee for Krovinovic this year with Benfica standing firm with their stance.
West Brom’s squad is hardly any better than it was at the end of last season in the Championship and getting Krovinovic back will at least mean Slaven Bilic’s side is as strong as it was when it finished second in the second-tier.
But Phillips believes that the Baggies might become impatient in their efforts to sign Krovinovic and claims they could set their sights on alternative targets as the frustrating transfer saga rumbles on.
“A decision has to be made quickly because you can’t let it run on for the club’s sake and the player’s sake,” the pundit told West Brom News.
“I would imagine both parties are getting frustrated and, of course, the season is upon us now and Slaven will want to know who he’s working with.
“If it’s not going to happen then, from a manager’s point of view, you’d want to put it to bed and concentrate on another target.
“But he’s a good player. Would you be able to go out and sign a player of his calibre without having to pay through the nose? I don’t know but you’d like to get him secured and get it done before the weekend.
“If it runs on for too long then you have to draw a line in the sand and say: ‘Right, it’s not going to happen. We’ll look at other targets’. I’m sure there are other targets.
“It will be a shame if he doesn’t sign because I like the player and it seems like he enjoys playing there.”
Bilic told Index HR earlier in the transfer window that he “will do everything” he can to re-sign Krovinovic after a successful loan spell at The Hawthorns in the Championship.
However, time is going to become more and more of a factor as September turns to October and we reach the October 5 transfer deadline.
In other West Brom news, Richard Keys has tipped Bilic to leave The Hawthorns before Christmas.
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