West Brom star wins international call-up as Wolves player sent home
It’s fair to say that West Brom had a mixed summer transfer window.
While Ryan Mason has managed to oversee a stunning start to the Championship season after signing the likes of Aune Heggebo, George Campbell and Nat Phillips, he’s also been forced to wave goodbye to star players like Tom Fellows and Torbjorn Heggem.
Fellows joined Southampton for just £10million last week, a fee far lower than many fans would have expected for one of the brightest young talents in the Championship, without a direct replacement coming in.
Samuel Iling-Junior and Charlie Taylor arrived at West Brom on loan from Aston Villa and Southampton respectively on deadline day, strengthening Mason‘s options on the left and ending the summer transfer window on a relative high. However, large sections of fans have been left underwhelmed by the closing business.
Some good news has since emerged from The Hawthorns, as we now head into the international break.
Aune Heggebo called up to Norway squad at expense of Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen
Norway announced on Tuesday morning that West Brom summer signing Heggebo has been called up to their national team squad for games against Finland and Moldova.
The Norwegian Football Federation confirms that Heggebo is taking the place of Wolves forward Jorgen Strand Larsen, who is being sent back to Wolverhampton due to injury.
West Brom signed Heggebo from Brann for £4.75million in July, and he’s since impressed in the Black Country.
Although the 24-year-old has only scored one goal in five appearances across all competitions, his involvement in build-up play and support for attacking midfielders like Isaac Price have been vital to Albion’s unbeaten start in the Championship.
What do Norwegians think of Aune Heggebo?
Before he signed for West Brom, Nettavisen journalist Stian Andre de Wahl spoke glowingly about the Heggebo, essentially dubbing him as a perfect Championship striker.
“He is powerful, runs a lot and is a hard worker who gives his all,” Wahl told West Brom News in July.
“He’s left-footed and pretty good in the box. He can still improve his finishing but has all the tools to develop to be a very good striker. He has a good mentality and is a player you can trust.
| Championship stats | |
| Appearances | 4 |
| Goals | 0 |
| xG (expected goals) | 0.33 |
| Shots (on target) | 5 (1) |
| xA (expected assists) | 0.77 |
| Key passes | 4 |
| Pass completion | 75% |
“A move to England and the Championship is fair, I would say. He can develop and the league fits his style and physical presence.”
Former Norwegian footballer Jesper Mathisen was also excited to see the Bergen-born star.
“With his physique, mental strength and skills in the box, he could be a hit at West Bromwich,” he told Norway’s TV2 in the summer.
- Norway welcome Finland to Oslo for an international friendly on 4 September
- They then take on Moldova in a World Cup qualifier, also in Oslo, on 9 September
Heggebo scored 51 goals in 146 appearances for Brann before heading for The Hawthorns.
In his final season in the Norwegian Eliteserien, he was on seven goals in 13 games before the Baggies came calling with a £4.75million bid.
It’s been a slow start for him in terms of finding the back of the net but a call-up to the Norway squad, to train alongside Erling Haaland, is going to do Heggebo the world of good and West Brom fans will be excited to see how he performs upon his return later this month.
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