West Brom set to sign ‘exciting’ Aston Villa star ahead of Championship rivals
West Brom have enjoyed a brilliant start to the season under new manager Ryan Mason, sitting second in the Championship.
However, Tom Fellows’ move to Southampton has caused concern within the West Brom fanbase, with the transfer deadline fast approaching.
The sale of Torbjorn Heggem has shown that West Brom are ready to sell big and recruit smartly under Ryan Mason, and they are set to replace Tom Fellows with an exciting young star.
Aston Villa’s Samuel Iling-Junior set for West Brom switch
As reported by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, Samuel Iling-Junior is set to head to West Brom on a season-long loan deal.
Iling-Junior came through the Juventus academy, impressing in the first team for two seasons before returning to England.
The 21-year-old joined Aston Villa last summer, and enjoyed loan spells at Bologna and Middlesborough.
| Stat | Iling-Junior |
| Appearances | 86 |
| Goals | 8 |
| Assists | 6 |
The loan move represents a good bit of business for West Brom, who are keeping the £10million from Tom Fellows‘ transfer and replacing him with a young winger for little cost.
Michael Carrick full of praise for Samuel Iling-Junior
Having signed the winger in February, Middlesbrough manager at the time, Michael Carrick, was quick to praise Iling-Junior.
As reported by The Northern Echo, he said: “He’s a really exciting player with a really good head on his shoulders, so switched on and so stable. His attitude has been top-class and he’s looking forward to coming here and finishing the season with us.
“Then you consider his positional capabilities – he can do anything from left-back to right wing and left wing with the same quality and without being fazed. It’s a hell of a skill and attribute to be able to do that, and highlights his quality.”
Iling-Junior’s versatility will be a key reason why Mason has highlighted him as a good fit for the squad.
With West Brom looking to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2020/21, Mason will have to count on young talents such as Iling-Junior to provide some magic for his exciting Baggies team.
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