Top Big Sam target target keen on West Brom move as talks ongoing – report
Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury is eager to move to West Brom and he is their number one midfield target, according to Express & Star.
Choudhury has been heavily linked recently with the Baggies desperate to improve their options at the base of their midfield with Romaine Sawyers and Jake Livermore currently the only senior players that are suitable for this role, but both have struggled for form this season.
Centre back Semi Ajayi was even trialled in the holding midfield role at Blackpool on Saturday and it is evident that Allardyce needs reinforcements in this area if he harbours any hope of guiding Albion to an unlikely Premier League survival this season.
With Allardyce “determined to bring in a holding midfielder this month” West Brom have submitted a loan offer for Choudhury though Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers did admit a temporary deal was not an attractive proposition for the Foxes.
However, the Express & Star have reported that their understanding is that talks are still ongoing between Leicester and Albion regarding a loan move, and that the midfielder would favour a move to Allardyce’s side as he believes it would offer him the best chance of regular game time, while he also would not have to relocate.
The arrival of Choudhury on loan would signal the conclusion of domestic loan deals for West Brom as it would maximise their quota of two, with Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher also at the club on a temporary deal.
Welcome addition
News of the club’s continued pursuit of Choudhury and the Leicester player’s willingness to move to West Brom will be music to the ears of fans desperate to see someone with some tenacity and fight in the middle of midfield.
The plight of Sawyers has been well documented with the Baggies youth graduate afforded no sentimental goodwill from the fans after producing an awful first half of the season display.
Only three outfield players have played more minutes than Sawyers for West Brom in the Premier League this season but that has been more out of the lack of options available to Allardyce and his predecessor Slaven Bilic than anything to do with the importance of Sawyers to the side.
Livermore was suspended for three games after picking up a red card in Allardyce’s first game against Aston Villa and he only returned on Saturday.
Ajayi was tried out in the holding midfield role but apart from the fact that he did not impress he has also been arguably their best centre back this season so needs to be kept in the backline.
If Choudhury can be secured on a loan deal then that should mean the Baggies use what little money they do have available on targeting a striker and centre back, with the Baggies among the lowest scorers in the Premier League while having the most porous defence.
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