Nathaniel Chalobah could be finished at West Brom after Carlos Corberan transfer admission at The Hawthorns
Time may be running out for Nathaniel Chalobah at West Brom with Carlos Corberan planning a late deadline-busting transfer for a new midfielder.
Corberan reiterated (Express & Star) after the 2-0 loss at Norwich City on Saturday (20 January) that he is eager to sign another attacker, while midfield cover may also be required due to Jayson Molumby’s injury lay-off.
The Express & Star journalist Lewis Cox shared on his Twitter account (20 January) that the Baggies midfielder will now undergo surgery on his foot issue and could miss at least three weeks out of action.
The Republic of Ireland international hasn’t featured since the Baggies’ 1-0 defeat at the hands of Swansea City but was expected to return against Norwich on Saturday (20 January) having missed the wins over Aldershot Town and Blackburn Rovers.
However, he was absent again for the 2-0 defeat at Carrow Road with Corberan confirming his expected absence, now Molumby faces at least three months on the sidelines.
It now leaves Corberan desperately short at the heart of defensive midfield once again with Chalobah and Alex Mowatt his only options should Yokuslu now be ruled out too after being withdrawn in the second half of Saturday’s defeat.
Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera Bergamo reported in its print edition on Sunday (21 January) that the Baggies have entered the race to sign Birmingham City midfielder Jordan James.
While that move may look difficult to do, it seems the Baggies are preparing moves for another transfer after Andreas Weimann, and that could derail the future of Chalobah.
So far this campaign, the former Watford and Chelsea midfielder has been resigned to a limited role with Corberan preferring Alex Mowatt and Okay Yokuslu as his preferred midfield partnership, a decision which has left Chalobah watching on from the sidelines.
When the former Chelsea and Watford midfielder has featured this season, his displays have been rather fleeting. Influential one moment but looking past his solid best the next.
Of his 22 appearances this season, the senior midfield man has started just five games [SofaScore] and played just 594 minutes of Championship action [Transfermarkt], coming to 27 minutes per game.
In his last start for the club, coming against Southampton in their dramatic 2-1 defeat (11 November), the 29-year-old was nowhere to be seen, touching the ball just 29 times, winning just one duel and no tackles or interceptions won in his 56 minutes on the pitch.
Upon his move to the Hawthorns in January this year, he signed an 18-month contract which certainly suggested he may be only needed for a temporary role but still with the chance to prove he can be a West Brom player beyond June 2024.
At this moment in time, given the Baggies’ dire financial situation behind the scenes and their need to give their wage bill some breathing space, Chalobah staying in the West Midlands beyond his contract looks extremely unlikely.
And with Corberan’s new transfer admission, it appears Chalobah could well be looking for yet another new club this year.
In other West Brom news, Lewis Cox has revealed how the Baggies will spend the money raised by the sale of Taylor Gardner-Hickman
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