Kevin Phillips: Grady Diangana could fill Matheus Pereira’s boots if Brazilian exits West Brom
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 that despite having a “tough season” for West Brom, Grady Diangana could be a key player for the club in the Championship next season.
Albion are all-but certain to be relegated back to the second-tier after a difficult return to the top-flight in which they have won just five of 34 matches.
Diangana, 23, lit up the Championship for periods last season when the Baggies were promoted but since turning his loan move from West Ham into a permanent one, the winger has struggled to impress and is barely playing at the minute.
The former Hammers winger has played just twice in the Premier League since the turn of the year due to injuries and the fact that Sam Allardyce has chosen other players ahead of him.
However, with relegation basically inevitable, Phillips believes Diangana can rediscover his form next season and potentially fill Matheus Pereira’s boots if the Aston Villa-linked [The Athletic] Brazilian leaves The Hawthorns.
“It’s a bit of a strange one,” Phillips told West Brom News when discussing Diangana’s season. “There was a bit of a hoo-ha when West Ham let him go at the beginning of the season and then we all thought West Brom were getting an excellent signing who would do well in the Premier League. But it just hasn’t happened.
“It’s probably one of those instances again when the step up has shown to be very difficult but we have seen he has quality.
“If West Brom do go down and if Pereira was to move on, I think Diangana would step up into his shoes and take over the mantle.
“It’s been a tough season for him, we know he’s suffered with injuries this year and it’s been a shame. We all thought he would fit well in the Premier League.”
Since becoming West Brom’s record signing in September, Diangana has played just 16 times in the Premier League and scoring one goal, which came against Everton way back in gameweek two.
Diangana performed well in the Championship last season, leading to Lee Hendrie dubbing the winger “magnificent” and saying Gareth Barry believes he’ll go all the way to the top [Sky Sports].
However injuries impacted the second half of Diangana’s campaign last time out while he’s also suffered setbacks since the winter in the Premier League.
Let’s hope that Luke Dowling didn’t sanction a club-record deal to sign someone who struggles to stay fit as Albion get ready to embark on yet another season back in the Championship.
In other West Brom news, next month could be huge for Guochuan Lai’s ownership of the Baggies.
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