Exclusive: West Brom player tipped for January exit after striker development
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…
Charlie Austin is now set to stay at West Brom after Hal Robson-Kanu suffered a broken arm against Southampton, according to Kevin Phillips.
Austin, 31, has not played in the Premier League since the Baggies won promotion last season and has been strongly linked with a move away from The Hawthorns.
The Express & Star has reported that Albion had been in talks with Derby County over selling the striker to the Championship club before the domestic transfer window closes at 5pm on Friday.
More recently, The Telegraph has claimed that Cardiff City are also interested in Austin.
However, with Robson-Kanu set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery last week, Phillips believes there’s no chance of the Baggies selling Austin this week.
“I can’t see that happening at all,” Phillips told West Brom News.
“No matter how much the player tried to push it, I’m sorry but you might just have to wait now until the January window. These things happen.
“It would be crazy business if they were to let Austin go. Robson-Kanu’s going to be out for a month or six weeks. All of a sudden you’ve got no out-and-out striker in your squad.”
West Brom do still have Kenneth Zohore in their squad but the Dane seems even more out of the picture at The Hawthorns than Austin does right now.
Callum Robinson is Slaven Bilic’s starting striker at the moment with Robson-Kanu seemingly second-choice and Austin third.
If the Baggies sign a new striker before the end of the transfer window on Friday then that could reignite a possible move away from the Black Country for Austin.
But, if that does not happen, then it’s very likely that the ex-Southampton forward will stay at the club until at least January.
In other West Brom news, Guochuan Lai would be happy to discuss selling the Baggies.
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