Exclusive: Player tipped to potentially snub switch to West Brom – ex-Baggie
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 has cast doubt upon whether Joshua King would want to sign West Brom this month with the Bournemouth striker linked with a move to The Hawthorns.
Earlier this week, the Daily Mail reported that Sam Allardyce could offer King, 28, an escape route from Bournemouth with the Norway international struggling for game-time.
He’s in the final year of his contract at the south coast club and would more than likely be keen on a return to the Premier League after suffering relegation last term.
However, Phillips believes there’ll be more attractive options for King than West Brom this month with Albion languishing in the Premier League’s drop zone.
“Certainly, there should be enquiries but would the player would want to join a team that’s struggling at the bottom of the Premier League, don’t create a lot of opportunities and concede a lot of goals? I’d say there will be offers on the table that’ll suit him more,” Phillips told West Brom News.
“If I was West Brom I’d be looking at every avenue and if it was a player who was interested then Sam would look at it just to get someone at the club who’s a proven goalscorer, he’s a handful.
“If they don’t, it doesn’t look as though they’ll score enough goals to stay in the league.”
King has really struggled to play this season for Bournemouth with the ex-Blackburn and Manchester United striker earning just eight appearances and only three starts. Unsurprisingly, the 28-year-old hasn’t netted for the Cherries this term in the Championship.
West Brom need players who’ll hit the ground running this month so they can improve their chances of staying in the Premier League but King’s lack of game-time this term is a big red flag.
It’s also worrying that he’s likely to attract attention from elsewhere.
West Ham appear to be selling Sebastien Haller to Ajax and King is reportedly a possible replacement, according to the Mail.
If you were King, who would you join?
In other West Brom news, Paul Robinson is blown away by this latest Albion transfer news.
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