‘It’s only up the M6’ – Exclusive: West Brom 23y/o tipped to join Stoke on loan in Jan
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 claims Stoke City would be a “good move” for West Brom defender Cedric Kipre if he’s sent out on loan in January.
Kipre, 23, has failed to make a single Premier League appearance for the Baggies since his £900,000 switch to the West Midlands from Wigan in September.
He has not made any of Slaven Bilic’s matchday squads for over two months and the Birmingham Mail has reported a loan exit could be on the cards for the French centre-back in the winter window.
A move to Stoke is a possibility, according to Phillips, who believes a move to the Bet365 could make sense in a number of different ways.
“I think a lot of Championship teams will be looking in the January window,” Phillips told West Brom News.
“With Stoke, you wouldn’t have to move. You could commute that, it’s only up the M6.
“They’ve conceded a lot of goals and the defence is probably an area the Stoke manager will be looking to strengthen in the January window if he’s allowed to with wages et cetera.
“That will be a good move because if you look at where Stoke are in the league, they’re just outside the play-offs and are on a good run under Michael O’Neill. They look like they’re a club moving in the right direction.”
Stoke are eighth in the Championship standings but have conceded 18 goals in 14 matches to give them the joint-worst defensive record in the top half of their division and the seventh-worst in the whole league.
O’Neill would have expected his side to show more rigidity at the back and he does have a lot of central defensive options in his squad.
However, he could look at someone like Kipre to not add an extra option but to improve upon the options he has.
Kipre did well at Wigan last season but isn’t getting any chances at West Brom.
If he gets game-time, then we would be happy to see the ex-Motherwell man go on loan to the Potteries.
In other West Brom news, Micah Richards was impressed by this Baggies ace in the 1-0 win over Sheffield United.
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