Steve Bruce must make Alex Palmer West Brom No.1
West Brom may only have three games left to play this season but Steve Bruce already has a major decision to make ahead of next season.
The number one jersey at The Hawthorns has been Sam Johnstone for the majority of his time with the club but he looks set to leave at the end of the season.
Manchester United are one of the sides most likely to make a move for the 29-year-old on a free transfer when his contract with the Baggies expires in June [The Sun].
David Button has been the immediate replacement for the England international whenever required but he too sees his contract with the club expire at the end of this season [Transfer Markt].
That leaves just one senior goalkeeper under contract at The Hawthorns in 25-year-old Alex Palmer and Bruce has to start him in the remaining three matches of this season.
He has been the third choice all season long for the Albion but when he went on an emergency loan to Luton Town, he performed admirably at such short notice.
Despite that, he hasn’t been able to force his way into the picture under Bruce and with his contract expiring in 2023, he needs to be given a chance in the side to persuade him to sign a new deal and stay long term.
If the boss decides Palmer isn’t to get the chance he has more than earned, then he has to go big in the summer looking to sign a goalkeeper and with the situation he will be in, everyone will know of his desperation.
That means the prices will be jacked right up for the Baggies and that will make purchasing a new number one unnecessarily difficult when they have a top-class shot-stopper already.
In other West Brom news, a big rebuild is needed after a 2022 Championship league table has revealed some serious shortcomings for Albion.
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