Ron Gourlay and Steve Bruce explore market together to find senior new full-back for West Brom transfer
Steve Bruce and Ron Gourlay are teaming up in their hunt for a new senior full-back at West Brom this summer, according to Elias Burke.
The Athletic journalist has reported that cover is on the table for Darnell Furlong and Conor Townsend in this ongoing transfer window at The Hawthorns.
That is despite academy talents Ethan Ingram and Zac Ashworth have travelled to Portugal to try and stake their claims for a first-team spot under Bruce next season and beyond.
Writing in his latest column for The Athletic, Burke shared the latest plans coming from the boardroom and managers’ office as the window ticks along.
“Ethan Ingram, 19, could provide depth behind Furlong to compete with Gardner-Hickman for the back-up right-back slot, but he has yet to start a senior league match,” he wrote.
“On the other side, 19-year-old academy graduate Zac Ashworth is Conor Townsend’s only natural alternative at left-back.
“Though both players could force their way into contention with a strong pre-season, Bruce and Gourlay will explore the market for more senior players to provide cover and competition for Furlong and Townsend.”
Consistency.
You would say with relative ease that Townsend is much more consistent and reliable than Furlong on the other, but it may still be the left that is strengthened more.
Dara O’Shea, as well as Taylor Gardner-Hickman, can both deputies if needed at right-back, but they would certainly struggle if they were placed on the left.
Townsend doesn’t have that rotation option with senior experience, with Adam Reach potentially the next in line if Bruce was really pushed into making a decision on that role.
With training and pre-season well underway now, Gourlay could be fronting this hunt for a new full-back as well as a midfielder from back home, but consulting Bruce along the way with what he finds.
We don’t expect anything to be imminent on the transfer front though, with the Baggies seemingly taking their time after securing the priority deals for Jed Wallace and John Swift.
This is certainly an area to watch though.
In other West Brom news, despite being in the market for another striker, Bruce has already decided on his first-choice number nine for next season.
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