Guochuan Lai could net extra £50m from West Brom sale despite Shilen Patel takeover
Guochuan Lai could still be entitled to up to £50million in bonus payments from West Brom, according to Chris Lepkowski.
Shilen Patel was this week given approval by the English Football League to complete a takeover at The Hawthorns.
Despite Lai’s time at the club finally coming to an end, he still stands to land a fairly hefty some should West Brom go up to the Premier League.
Writing in his The Far Post column [17 February], Lepkowski said: “Lai will be entitled to a bonus fee of £10m for every year Albion spend in the top flight should they be promoted.
“This will be fixed to a finite period of time – so the clause will be active only for a few years, before it expires (I’m unsure of the period, but it has been suggested that it doesn’t extend beyond five years).”
Guochuan Lai out, Shilen Patel in at The Hawthorns
Lai potentially earning money through West Brom’s success is annoying, but if that was part of the agreement to get him out of the club then so be it.
The ultimate aim for Albion is to return to the Premier League, ideally as early as the start of next season. Despite the loss to Southampton, they are still well-placed to earn promotion this term.
A lot of work has to be done in terms of the playing squad, regardless of whether West Brom are promoted or not. Patel could therefore do with all the funds he can get his hands on.
Handing £10m over to Lai is ultimately a small price to pay if you only focus on the long term and what it actually means for the club.
For now, supporters can rejoice from the fact that a new era at The Hawthorns is on the verge of beginning.
In other West Brom news, Adrian Chiles has made a bizarre claim regarding an Albion player and Taylor Swift.
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