Prospective West Brom owners will be fuming already as Tom Fellows transfer news drops
Fabrizio Romano reported on 10 January that Everton are monitoring Tom Fellows ahead of a potential summer transfer move, and the prospective new owners at West Brom will be fuming at the update.
The Daily Mail reported on 11 November that they are determined not to lose Fellows, so the news of Premier League interest will be a source of frustration before the takeover has even been finalised.
Carlos Corberan told the Express & Star on 6 January that the club have already opened talks with the winger over a possible new contract, but those talks could be set to stall with Everton’s interest.
January is a crucial time for contracts, with expiring deals opening up the opportunity for foreign clubs to begin negotiations in pre-contract deals – something West Brom will be keen to avoid when it comes to losing their more important players.
While Everton would be unable to offer a pre-contract deal to Fellows, their expressed interest could tempt the winger not to sign for Albion in favour of waiting until the summer when he could move to Goodison Park for free.
It is crucial for West Brom that they can get the deal with Fellows over the line as soon as possible. With the ongoing situation at the club, there is no way they can allow an academy product as talented as him to leave for free in the summer, especially not after the prospective owners’ demands.
At just 20 years old, he has already stamped his mark on the team with 14 Championship appearances so far this campaign and has stepped up amid the ongoing injury crisis and off-field concerns.
If West Brom are to lose yet another academy graduate through entirely their own fault for having failed to tie him down to a long-term deal at The Hawthorns, fans will start to lose their patience, and the new owners will arrive immediately frustrated by the club’s business.
In other West Brom news, Albion want to seal a new deal before Saturday.