‘Last resort’ – Exclusive: Agent tipped to play key role in West Brom bid to sign vexed striker
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 it would be a “last resort” for Karlan Grant to hand in a transfer request at Huddersfield to force through a move to West Brom.
The Daily Mail reported last week that Grant, 22, is “desperate to make the move” to The Hawthorns and is frustrated by Huddersfield’s refusal to budge from their £17million valuation of him.
Slaven Bilic has reportedly made the ex-Charlton striker his top target for the rest of the transfer window to help upgrade West Brom’s attack.
But Phillips isn’t too impressed by the Huddersfield forward and has suggested that the Baggies set their sights on other striker targets – even though he admits there aren’t too many options out there at the moment.
“I had a point in my career when I was really close to handing in a transfer request and it never really materialised. But that is pretty much the last resort,” Phillips told West Brom News.
“I don’t think any player wants to have to do that but if that’s what it takes for him to get out of the door, then I’m sure his agent will be giving him the best advice he can.
“You’d like to think that won’t happen and a deal can be agreed but when you’re talking about £17million for a player – and I wouldn’t say he lit it up in the Championship last year – it seems like quite a lot of money.
“I, personally, would be looking elsewhere but maybe there are limited options out there now because when you think about it, what other strikers are out there?
“Batshuayi has gone to Crystal Palace, for example. There are not that many options left.
“£17million seems like an awful lot of money.”
West Brom and Huddersfield fans have discussed the possibility of Grant handing in a transfer request on Twitter as he aims to make the move to the Black Country.
You don’t see something like that happen very often but Grant is clearly pushing for a transfer to the Premier League and with time running out in the transfer window, Huddersfield’s refusal to lower their demands could become too much for the striker.
In other West Brom news, Bilic made an admission about Filip Krovinovic’s potential return to The Hawthorns after the defeat to Leicester.
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