Allardyce reveals signing he tried to make at West Brom is now set for FA Cup final
Sam Allardyce endured an unsuccessful spell as West Brom boss and suffered relegation from the Premier League in 2021.
The Hawthorns outfit have failed to return to the top-flight since, but landed a Championship playoff spot under former boss Carlos Corberan last term.
But since Corberan left for Valencia in December, West Brom have endured a turbulent time and sacked Tony Mowbray after falling out of the playoff race with a defeat to Derby on Easter Monday.
The Baggies are still on the hunt for Mowbray’s successor, but will hope to compete for a top-six spot once again next term.
Allardyce tried to sign Crystal Palace forward when he was West Brom boss
Baggies supporters would rather forget Allardyce’s tenure in charge of the Black Country side, as they were relegated from the Premier League via a significant margin of 13 points.
But speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, the former England boss revealed he tried to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta when he was in charge of the Albion: “We tried to get him on loan at West Brom before Palace got him.”
| Jean-Philippe Mateta stats | 2024/25 all competitions |
| Appearances | 42 |
| Goals | 17 |
| Assists | 4 |
The Frenchman is set to represent Palace in this season’s FA Cup final after creating an assist in their 3-0 win over Aston Villa in last month’s semi-final.
West Brom could be set for a busy transfer window
Baggies owner Shilen Patel is currently occupied by the search for the Championship club’s next permanent manager, after interim boss James Morrison oversaw the last two games of the season.
But the West Midlands side will likely witness a busy transfer window too, as Patel will want to equip the next West Brom boss with the tools he will need to launch a serious playoff bid.
The Albion could also struggle to retain star man Tom Fellows, who had a stellar Championship season notching 18 goal contributions, amid interest from Everton.
Newly promoted West Midlands rivals Birmingham City are also keen on the 21-year-old as they look to continue their rise under the ownership of Knighthead Capital Management.
If the Baggies lose Fellows this summer, they will have to work hard to replace the talented England Under-21 international who created the joint-highest number of assists in the Championship this term.