Harry Whitwell can be Jake Livermore replacement long-term at West Brom
Carlos Corberan has only been West Brom manager for a handful of matches but he is already starting to imprint his thoughts on the club.
One thing he seems adamant on is getting the academy producing the amount of players it should be for the first team and that work has begun with the contract extension of midfield maestro Harry Whitwell.
The 17-year-old has already made appearances for the Baggies’ Under-21 side this season while being an integral part of the Under-18s simultaneously.
The teenager’s deal will take him all the way to the summer of 2025 by which point Jake Livermore, the current club captain, will be 36 years of age.
“For a young lad who has just turned 17, he has shown he has the capability of playing regularly in the PL2 team,” Academy manager Richard Stevens said. “This shows how highly we rate Harry and I look forward to seeing his continued development at Albion.”
With plenty of time on his new deal, West Brom could be looking at their eventual replacement for Livermore further down the line and he is committed to that path.
Whether Corberan will still be in the post by the time Whitwell is ready to play in the first team is obviously to be seen but he isn’t the only youngster pushing the boat.
Reyes Cleary, Zac Ashworth and Caleb Taylor have all been on the fringes of the senior team recently with the latter now impressing out on loan along with goalkeeper Josh Griffiths.
But Whitwell is further away from a Championship appearance at the moment being just 17 years of age and that should give Livermore another year or two at the top before the teenager comes and takes his place in the side.
In other West Brom news, Ron Gourlay is searching for a new behind-the-scenes staff member but he has not given himself long to find them.