West Brom could make smart signing as Ian Poveda transfer links emerge
West Brom are reportedly one of several clubs interested in Colombian forward Ian Poveda.
Carlos Corberan will need some reinforcements at The Hawthorns if the Baggies are to make another promotion push next season.
And it looks as if the club are looking to complete a shrewd bit of business.
As reported by Darren Witcoop via X (8 June), Poveda has become a free agent after his Leeds United departure was confirmed.
Sheffield Wednesday want to sign the 24-year-old permanently after his loan spell at Hillsborough during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
Meanwhile, West Brom are also said to be interested, as well as Cardiff City and recently relegated Luton Town.
Considering the number of clubs in the mix, it might not be easy to sign Poveda, but it would certainly be a smart signing if the Baggies could get it done.
West Brom could look to add Ian Poveda to Carlos Corberan’s ranks at The Hawthorns
Poveda was hardly utilised at Elland Road and joined Wednesday on a temporary basis in January as a result.
He made 10 appearances in the Championship for the Owls, registering one assist.
And while there will understandably be some doubts around the player, some of the underlying stats suggest he might be worth taking a gamble on.
Especially considering he is a free agent.
As per fbref, the 24-year-old was among the top one per cent of Championship midfielders for the number of take-ons he attempted (7.05 per 90) and completed (3.15 per 90).
In addition, he was in the top two per cent of his positional peers for the number of progressive carries he made (5.16 per 90), the top three per cent for the number of carries he made into the final third (3.15 per 90) and finally the top four per cent for his total carries into the penalty area (2.01 per 90).
Poveda would often pop up in attacking areas, ranking in the 88th percentile for the number of touches he made in the opposition box (3.52 per 90) and could also pick a pass, ranking in the 85th percentile for the number of key passes he played (1.89 per 90).
With his quality on the ball clear to see, Poveda could be an exciting fit for Corberan at The Hawthorns.
In other West Brom news, a Swedish defender linked with a move to the club could be a solid replacement for Cedric Kipre.
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