Cedric Kipre backed by Don Goodman to quit West Brom for huge money move abroad
Don Goodman says it is entirely understandable if Cedric Kipre decides to leave West Brom to pick up a bigger salary abroad.
Kipre is out of contract at The Hawthorns this month and is reportedly wanted by Turkish side Trabzonspor [Sabah, 5 June], despite the offer of a new deal at The Hawthorns.
Albion’s Player of the Season for 2023-24 is also said to have interest from other clubs, potentially helping to drive up his signing-on fee.
Asked about the now-realistic prospect of losing Kipre this summer, Goodman told West Brom News: “It’s going to be a massive hole for them to fill because he had the season of his life. He went from being discarded, out of the plans, to being one of the first names on the team sheet.
“So it’s a huge blow for West Brom, while from his perspective I can only imagine clubs in Turkey can offer him way, way more than West Bromwich Albion could in this country. At his age, he’ll be motivated by that.
“That’s something I can entirely understand because he’s not had a top career where he’s set for life and will never have to work again. Whereas a move to Turkey may give him that freedom and make him, so to speak, for the rest of his life.
“It’ll be disappointing that it came to a scenario that he was allowed to run down his contract. He came back in from being discarded, has run down his contract and now there’s nothing West Bromwich Albion can do about it. It’s one of those unfortunate things that can happen in football.”
West Brom face huge blow in losing Cedric Kipre
Losing a talented player on a free contract is always a difficult one to accept, and questions will inevitably be asked.
However, on this occasion the farcical takeover situation is effectively to blame as the club could not work on tying down players to new deals.
Shilen Patel is now very much in charge, but his arrival likely came too late to tempt Kipre into agreeing fresh terms.
The 27-year-old cannot be blamed for assessing his options, and if he feels that Trabzonspor is the best place for him, so be it.
Albion will be eager for him to stay on, of course, but the longer the contract remains unsigned, the more likely it is he will not be at The Hawthorns next season.
In other West Brom news, Carlos Corberan is one of two leading contenders to take over at Leicester City.
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