Ryan Mason to take major gamble in latest West Brom transfer race
Ryan Mason could be about to take a huge gamble with West Brom finding themselves caught in another transfer race.
The former Tottenham academy coach has only been in his first senior managerial job for a matter of months, but he has already shown that he is not averse to taking risks in the transfer market.
Aune Heggebo has been the biggest arrival of West Brom’s summer so far, but the frontman is relatively unproven given the £4.75million outlay that was necessary to secure his signature.
Mason will be eagerly waiting to see whether Heggebo can successfully adapt to Championship football, but in the meantime, he seems to be preparing to take another gamble elsewhere in the squad.
Jamal Lewis’ injury record will be a big concern for West Brom
West Brom are now chasing the signing of left-back Jamal Lewis, who is a free agent after being released by Newcastle United.
Middlesbrough and Norwich are also showing an interest in the Northern Irishman, but Mason and Co. are not unfamiliar with having to act quickly to win a race for a player’s signature, having previously beaten off competition to land Nat Phillips earlier in the summer.
They will need to do the same again if they are to seal Lewis’ arrival ahead of their Championship rivals, but they must be mindful that they are taking a significant risk in the process.
He has been badly hampered by injuries since he first broke through into senior football at Norwich, and he only managed to clear 25 league appearances just once in the five campaigns.
Last time out, Lewis headed to Brazil with Sao Paulo, only to have his spell there cut short due to injury after just six games.
As a result, it is hard to view the Baggies’ latest pursuit as anything other than a sizeable gamble.
West Brom would need adequate cover for Lewis
Mason is clearly keen to bring the defender to The Hawthorns, and will be hopeful that his medical team may be able to help correct some of the issues that the 27-year-old has experienced in the past.
West Brom will know that they could have a quality player on their hands, but they will also be aware that they would face a constant battle to keep him fit, in what would very much be a roll of the dice.
| Season | Club | Apps |
| 2024/25 | Sao Paulo (Loan) | 6 |
| 2023/24 | Watford (Loan) | 36 |
| 2022/23 | Newcastle | 2 |
| 2021/21 | Newcastle | 5 |
| 2020/21 | Newcastle | 24 |
With that in mind, it would be sensible for Mason to ensure that he has plenty of depth on the left side of his backline if Lewis does end up coming in.
They currently have Callum Styles, while Torbjorn Heggem is also capable of playing on the left of a back four. It could be vital that they both remain at the club to ensure Mason has enough alternatives if Lewis’ fitness breaks down.
The Baggies’ potential move for the former Newcastle man has all the hallmarks of a deal which could be an unexpected masterstroke or a huge mistake, and Mason will certainly be hoping that it ends up being the former.
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