George Overhill

Wed 17 August 2022 12:19, UK

West Brom have lost out in the race to sign Manchester City youngster Liam Delap, with Championship rivals Stoke winning the battle.

That has prompted Sun reporter Alan Nixon to laud the signing and comment on the damage it does to the Baggies after they had chased the teenager for over a year.

Once Etihad boss Pep Guardiola sanctioned a temporary exit for him hopes had risen that Steve Bruce might be about to welcome his latest transfer market coup this summer, but Liam will instead follow in the footsteps of his father Rory and move to the Potters this season.

Writing on Twitter in response to a question about the development Nixon reacted with: “Good signing … massive kick in the head for West Brom…”

Can’t win them all

Although Karlan Grant’s midweek EFL Cup injury didn’t prevent him from playing the full 90 minutes of the loss to Blackburn on Sunday (14 August), this is still a blow.

With Daryl Dike’s appalling injury luck showing no signs of improving, after he was ruled out for up to two months with a thigh injury, it would have been a welcome boost.

But with as many as 10 clubs after the 19-year-old [Telegraph] it was always going to be a difficult task to come out at the front of the pack.

With time dwindling for Bruce and Ron Gourlay to add anyone to the attack it could be another frustrating wait in the hope that the big American can get back quicker than planned.

The last eight months haven’t given much hope of that, so it will be an extra disappointment to the manager to miss out on Delap having admitted publicly that he was interested.

Better finishing in the opening two games of the season could have conceivably given Albion two wins, which would have made the loss at Ewood Park less of an issue.

Whether Delap would have made the difference is impossible to say but it is easy to see why the manager wants help up front.

In other West Brom news, the Baggies boss touted the club’s credentials in the hopes of boosting moves like Delap’s.