West Brom youngster Caleb Taylor attracting loan interest ahead of preseason camp
West Brom starlet Caleb Taylor is the subject of loan interest from League One and League Two clubs, according to the Express and Star.
The young centre-back has been included in Steve Bruce’s squad for their preseason training camp in Portugal, as reported by the Birmingham Mail on Friday (24 June).
Taylor could also be given a chance at senior level out on loan, attracting interest from a string of lower league clubs according to the reports.
The starlet played a central role in Albion’s Premier League Cup final win over Black Country rivals Wolves, though he did miss his spot-kick in the penalty shootout.
He made his Championship debut back in May, replacing Semi Ajayi in Albion’s 4-0 win over Barnsley on the final day of the season and a loan would seem the best option for him.
The sky is the limit
Taylor is one of the brightest prospects at Albion right now and the potential is there for him to have a dazzling career.
He is the son of former Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor, a decent defender in his own right, who had a 17-year career in professional football.
However, he needs to be getting regular first team football if he is to continue his positive trajectory.
Taylor is 19-year-old and has just three senior matches under his belt, also playing in Albion’s cup defeats to Brighton and Arsenal before his league bow.
While he has been around the first team a lot, making the bench ten times before his league debut, it is not enough to properly develop. For a great example of this, look at the development of Rushian Hepburn-Murphy who Bruce managed at Aston Villa.
Hepburn-Murphy made his Villa debut at just 16-years-old, making him the youngest player to ever represent the club in the Premier League.
Then-Villa boss Tim Sherwood told the club website that he was the future of Aston Villa, but that never transpired.
Bruce kept him around at Villa for the entirety of his time at the club, using him sporadically when needed, but the club did not loan him out until 2019.
By this time, he was in his 20s and not having regular football crushed his once promising career and he was last seen scoring five goals in 23 games for Cypriot outfit Pafos.
If Taylor is to realise his potential, then a loan move could be the making of him.
In other West Brom news, the door has been left open for the club to sign Ryan Nyambe after the defender left Blackburn Rovers.