West Brom star Diangana could have been ‘£50million player’ – Mark Noble
West Brom signed Grady Diangana from West Ham in 2020 but he is yet to live up to the potential he showed in the Hammers academy.
The England youth international has scored just nine goals for the Baggies since his arrival and that includes his loan spell in 2019-20 when he bagged eight.
The 23-year-old has struggled to find the same form that terrorised Championship defences two seasons ago and West Brom’s form has dipped along with it.
West Ham captain Mark Noble though could see his talent when he was a prospect with the Irons and believed he could have gone on to greater things had he stayed in East London.
“We’d gone through a tough season and we’d just survived. Football is a business, I know that better than anyone. Sometimes you’ve got to make decisions when you own a football club, that helps the club,” Noble said speaking to Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with FIVE (46:23).
“Grady was so good in training. I thought that if (he) was to stay with us and play with better players, he would become a £40-50million player in a few years because he had that much ability.
“Everything obviously then happened. He came to me and said ‘Mark, I don’t want to go – I want to stay at West Ham’. We’d accepted a bid from West Brom because I think Slaven (Bilic) really wanted him.
“I just thought at the time it would’ve been good to keep homegrown players around the place. He’s come through the academy, and I understand that sometimes you have to turn a profit, I understand that.
“At that time I thought he was going to be a massive asset to us. I do believe he was going to be a top, top player and be a massive player for the club, so that’s why I did it.”
Lost the love?
Diangana’s performances this season hasn’t been that of a £50million player and that is certainly a reason for the Baggies’ poor form.
The key to turning that turmoil around might lie at the feet of the DR Congo-born explosive winger for Valerien Ismael.
He looks as if he has lost his love of football and his attacking output has taken a serious hammering as a result.
If Ismael can unlock Diangana and get him smiling again, then he could start to change the fortunes of the Baggies as they keep their push for promotion going.
Championship defenders certainly don’t want this to happen which is why it would be such an asset to West Brom, and it could save Ismael’s job if he can find a way.
In other West Brom news, this Sky Sports pundit has slammed the Baggies squad for their poor run of form.