‘West Brom gem to kickstart career in Italy’ as five-year deal agreed with Lecce
West Brom have been faced with the departures of several exciting prospects over recent years.
The Baggies have long since been praised for their ability to produce young players, but the threat of interest elsewhere has often proved unavoidable.
Ryan Mason will hope his arrival at The Hawthorns can encourage young players that their futures may lie in the West Midlands, with the new head coach having coached developmental sides with both England and Spurs in the past.
However, it looks as though Mason is set for his first setback in this regard.
Divine Onyemachi to sign five-year deal with Lecce
Tim Iroegbunam, Louie Barry, Lino Sousa and Morgan Rogers are among the high-profile names to have departed West Brom’s academy in recent years.
In the cases of all four, their careers have led them to join Baggies rivals Aston Villa, even if the route between the clubs was not always direct.
West Brom hearts will be especially sore following the loss of Rodgers, who is now considered among the Premier League and England’s most exciting young midfielders.
And Mason could be set to oversee the latest prospect to depart The Hawthorns, with Divine Onyemachi set to depart to Serie A side Lecce, according to Nizaar Kinsella (July 11).
| Divine Onyemachi | U18 Premier League South (2024/25) |
| Appearances | 21 |
| Goals | 11 |
| Assists | 1 |
The youngster has agreed a five-year deal with the Italian side and will receive a fast pathway to first-team football.
An exciting winger, Onyemachi scored 13 goals and provided one assist in all competitions last season.
The 17-year-old was prolific for West Brom’s Under-18s, despite the group’s disappointing last-place finish in the Under-18 Premier League South.
Onyemachi has been compared to Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, with a strong ability to go either way up against his defender and a powerful finish usually on the other side.
Mason has to provide West Brom pathway
Not only is West Brom’s failure to retain their exciting prospects costing them future players, but it is also costing them millions in lost fees.
Rogers serves as the perfect example, with the midfielder eventually leaving the Championship in a deal that could ultimately be worth around £15million.
Control is often taken out of the club’s hands when bigger, richer teams come calling, but Mason can ensure a pathway is spelt out for the next generation.
Players such as Tom Fellows, who is now key for the Baggies after emerging through the academy, should be showcased to show that a pathway does exist for those who want to take it.
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