Kevin Phillips delivers verdict as West Brom are linked with on QPR forward Lyndon Dykes
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 Lyndon Dykes could turn out to be a surprise signing for West Brom in the summer if the Scotland striker swaps QPR for The Hawthorns.
TeamTalk reported last week that Dykes, 25, is someone who the Baggies want to sign in the summer transfer window and are ready to test QPR’s resolve to keep him.
The Australia-born Scotland international has scored 12 goals in 41 Championship appearances this season, with seven of them coming in his last nine league outings.
Dykes is in a rich vein of form and while he’s not a striker who leaps up off the page to Phillips, he does believe the ex-Livingston man has similar qualities to current Albion loanee Mbaye Diagne.
Speaking to West Brom News, Phillips said: “He’s not a prolific goalscorer but he might be one of those players who comes in and really surprises you.
“For West Brom to jump straight back [to the Premier League], if the inevitable does happen, then you want to be looking down the route of someone who has scored a hatful of goals to join the club bang in form.
“Dykes has got qualities and it might just be a little move that ignites that goalscoring run that could help some clubs get promoted. It could be one of those where you think it’s not a huge signing but it turns out to be a really good one.
“He’s a [handful like Diagne] and when you’re in the Championship you’ve got to look at that type of player, especially if you’re playing with a sole striker.”
Dykes is a physical striker who knows how to put himself about, a bit like Diagne.
The Senegalese striker is set to return to Galatasaray at the end of the season when his loan spell at the Baggies expires and with Charlie Austin and Hal Robson-Kanu coming to the end of their contracts, Luke Dowling is going to need to welcome a new centre-forward or two.
Karlan Grant and Callum Robinson are likely to be the only two left at the club. Grant’s done very little of note in the Premier League this season while Robinson has performed well in a couple of spells.
Is Dykes good enough? That’s up for debate but he’s in great form at the minute at QPR and could be an option for the Albion if he’s available on the cheap.
In other West Brom news, next month could be huge for Guochuan Lai’s ownership of the Baggies.
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