West Brom hero has already hailed Baggies-linked striker – ‘I’d like to work with him’
West Brom seem set for a big summer ahead of them as they try and mount a challenge for promotion to the Premier League next term.
The Baggies recently named former Tottenham coach Ryan Mason as their new coach, and the new man will surely be keen on bringing in several players as he looks to mould the side in his image.
Mason has worked his way up through the ranks with the North London outfit, and is believed to have a particularly strong eye for development up and coming players.
However, West Brom’s first team squad will also need plenty of work, after their season drifting towards a disappointing conclusion.
West Brom are chasing Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland
Mason has only just walked through the door at The Hawthorns, and the club are already chasing the first signing of their new era.
The Baggies are reportedly interested in a move for Hearts’ out-of-contract frontman, Lawrence Shankland. Newly relegated Southampton are also monitoring the striker’s situation, according to The Scottish Sun (3 June).
West Brom had previously been keeping tabs on Shankland back in 2020, while he was at Dundee United. They opted against pursuing a move for the 29-year-old back then, but this time around, with Shankland available on a free, a deal seems far more likely.
The Hearts star remains in discussions with the Scottish Premiership outfit about prolonging his stay with the Edinburgh outfit, and their boss, Derek McInnes, has made it clear how he feels about Shankland.
“I’ve made it clear that I’d like to work with Lawrence,” admitted McInnes last month, who spent three years at The Hawthorns during his playing career. “But it’s not just me selling how I see him and the advantages of staying at Hearts.
“I think there are clear advantages for Lawrence of staying at Hearts, how I want the team to be, and I think he would really capitalise on that.”
Shankland would be an excellent signing for West Brom
It is no surprise that a goalscorer of Shankland’s level is attracting interest from multiple clubs, especially considering he could be available for free this summer.
The Baggies lacked the firepower to turn tight games in their favour all too often last season, and making a move for someone like Shankland, who possesses natural goalscoring instincts in and around the box, would be an excellent option.
| Season | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| 2024/25 | 43 | 9 | 10 |
| 2023/24 | 47 | 31 | 6 |
| 2022/23 | 47 | 28 | 4 |
| Total | 137 | 68 | 20 |
The international had a slight drop off in his return this season, but his quality is proven at Scottish Premiership level.
He has never played in the English Football League before, but regardless of that fact, he could be a superb piece of business for West Brom if they could capture him on a free transfer.