Finance Expert: No huge penalty if Guochuan Lai misses West Brom deadline for loan
We’re delighted to welcome football finance expert Dr Daniel Plumley as our exclusive West Brom columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns...
Dan Plumley has insisted that it is hard to see any “huge” penalties for Guochuan Lai if he misses the deadline to repay his loan back to West Brom.
The Finance Expert admitted that the club will be wary of the PR spin against the ownership but it wouldn’t be surprising if the deadline was missed.
It has been reported by the Birmingham Mail that the Baggies are confident the £5million loan will be repaid before the 31st of December deadline.
“The punishment thing is really interesting as I’m not so sure there is not a lot the club can do there if the deadline is missed,” he exclusively told West Brom News.
“I can’t see anything there where there would be a huge penalty for that because obviously, the connection is between the owner.
“It’s all internal so of the punishments, how do you make them stick? So, I don’t think there will be much punishment if this deadline is missed, obviously, the fallout of that then if the deadline is missed, it just hammers home another nail in the coffin in almost an embarrassing situation for the owners and the club.
“So, the PR spin on it is something the club will obviously be wary of, but it wouldn’t surprise you if that was the case given the backstory here. It’s really tricky as I’m not so sure there would be any meaningful punishment the club could enact.
“You’re hoping the money just gets paid in time and you can put it to bed as it has just rumbled on and become a thorn in the side. Again, that may have impacts, if that money was there, what could you do with it in January? But, is it coming in straight, hard cash that you can use?
“We don’t know that. It’s a really tricky one.”
All eyes are certainly on The Hawthorns as this one plays out in the next couple of weeks.
In other West Brom news, Andy Carroll opens up on his immediate regret after joining the Baggies last season