Guochuan Lai loan debacle leaves Steve Bruce up against it at West Brom after latest development
West Brom played some of the best football they have done in a long time on Monday night when they drew 1-1 with Watford at The Hawthorns.
Steve Bruce shattered all stereotypes of his style of play as the Albion bossed possession for 90 minutes and barraged Daniel Bachmann’s goal with shots.
Unfortunately, the incredible performance yielded just one point for the Baggies, who registered an xG of 2.35 by the time the full-time whistle was registered [xG Data].
It just shows how dominant the Baggies were with Karlan Grant and John Swift both missing big chances before the former grabbed a goal just before the half-time break.
Grant, 24, was forced to start up front due to Bruce revealing at the end of the Championship clash at The Hawthorns that big-money striker Daryl Dike had once again suffered an injury.
As quoted by the Shropshire Star on 8 August, Bruce said: “He kicked a ball and has done something to his thigh which didn’t look very good.
“We’re hoping it’s not too bad, but from my experience it’s bad enough the way he pulled up. He kicked a ball, frustrating.”
Dike’s spent almost the entirety of his spell at The Hawthorns injured, leaving Bruce short of options up front.
Fortunately, the transfer window is open for a few more weeks.
Unfortunately, chairman Guochuan Lai owes the club around £10million in unpaid loans.
At the end of June, it was revealed that Lai took £4.9million out of the club to prop up one of his business ventures on the other side of the world [Express & Star].
One repayment date has already been and gone for that while the Chinese businessman did promise to fans that the loan will be repaid in time to be spent in the January transfer window.
However, there’s also the infamous ‘Jeremy Peace Loan’, which also needs to be repaid after Lai inherited it from former Baggies owner Peace.
In total, Lai owes West Brom an eight-figure fee and in Championship football, that kind of money can go a very long way towards helping a team signing a very good player.
Bruce would love to have an extra £10million in his budget, we’re sure.
Unfortunately, Lai is using West Bromwich Albion Football Club as a bank and not giving the club the proper treatment that it deserves.
In other West Brom news, another new loan has surfaced in Albion’s accounts.
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