West Brom have to pay off David Button for Reading transfer to go through
West Brom will have to give David Button a pay off for the veteran goalkeeper to complete an exit to Reading this summer, according to Alan Nixon.
The 34-year-old began last season as the starter under Steve Bruce but had lost his place to Alex Palmer by the time Carlos Corberan came in and is likely surplus to requirements at The Hawthorns.
He only agreed a new two-year contract extension last summer, but journalist Nixon reported via Patreon on 21 July that he “won’t feature” for the Baggies this season and had been allowed to discuss a move to the relegated Royals.
Nixon has now followed up, again via Patreon, on Sunday (30 July) to report that the former Brighton keeper will make the move to Berkshire “once he is given a pay off by the Baggies”.
His contract at West Brom, which runs until next year, is reportedly “far better” than Reading can afford so will need a “major cash adjustment” to get the deal to go through.
Difficult
Reading might be one of the few clubs around at the moment in a trickier financial position that the Baggies are, so it is probably little surprise that they might struggle to pick up Button’s contract as it is.
But with West Brom operating under pressure, hence why players keep leaving this summer, it is easier said than done to just pay him off.
The contract extension a year ago is now starting to look like a mistake, since it is only complicating a departure that is probably necessary all round.
Depending on what sort of payoff would be required it might negate most of the benefit gained from getting him off the wage bill, if the club have to make up the difference and Reading can’t afford to pay him much.
If Button wants to go in order to play then there might be scope for an agreement to be reached where the club doesn’t have to pick up the balance of his contract but otherwise West Brom face a larger financial hit now to remove some cost over the next year.
And with Alex Palmer potentially on the way to Luton Town now after an offer was accepted [Tom Collomosse, 29 July] it may even prove to be less disruption to just keep Button as a back up.
Decisions will need to be made sooner rather than later with just a month now until the close of the transfer window to get over a potentially awkward situation.
In other West Brom news, a winner has been named in the Baggies’ race to sign an international defender on loan.