West Brom made to regret failed Vedat Muriqi transfer as Real Madrid eye January move
West Brom chose not to sign Kosovan striker Vedat Muriqi last January and instead chose Andy Carroll as Daryl Dike suffered an injury.
That decision is now looking like a foolish one by the Baggies as the 28-year-old is being eyed up by European giants Real Madrid as a potential replacement for Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, according to El Gol Digital.
Albion had made an approach last January to try and sign the then Lazio striker [Enrico De Lellis] but did not follow through with the deal and he headed to RCD Mallorca instead.
It is there where he has made a whopping impact on the Spanish league with eight goals in 12 La Liga matches so far this season having netted five in half a season last term.
As a result, Florentino Perez is looking to bring the 44-time Kosovan international to the Santiago Bernabeu as a stopgap before Brazilian wonderkid Endrick arrives upon turning 18 years of age.
West Brom will be looking at this deal and wondering why on earth they did not make more of an effort to sign him in January when they had the chance.
Carroll, while reasonable for half a season, was always just a short-term deal but Muriqi could have been a player to fire them to a far better place in the Championship last season and who knows how many he would have bagged this campaign.
Ron Gourlay, Steve Bruce and everybody else involved in the recruitment last January should be hanging their heads in shame that they let such a talent go and especially if Real Madrid were going to come calling a year later.
It’s another failed transfer to regret at The Hawthorns to add to the growing list.
In other West Brom news, no Muriqi means these two Baggies strikers have to play together if Carlos Corberan can find a way to fit them in.