Joe Wildsmith leaves West Brom in crazy late transfer twist on deadline day
Joe Wildsmith looks set to leave West Brom for a move to Middlesbrough on transfer deadline day.
Having made seven Championship appearances this season, Wildsmith’s time at West Brom certainly hasn’t been filled with promise.
The 30-year-old goalkeeper came into the team for Josh Griffiths on 6 December after the number one shot-stopper had produced a series of mistakes.
However, he was equally unimpressive and found himself relegated back to the bench on 5 January, shortly before Ryan Mason was sacked.
With Max O’Leary signing for the Baggies on 22 January, he is now the third-choice goalkeeper under Eric Ramsay, and Middlesbrough appear to have snapped him up late on in the transfer window.
Joe Wildsmith on course to join Middlesbrough
Wildsmith joined West Brom from Derby County in June 2024, but he has only made 20 appearances in that time.
It’s clear that he hasn’t been at the level required to deputise for Griffiths, and it was only a matter of time before rumours about his departure would start to appear.
Respected news account West Brom Xtra reported that a host of clubs were interested in the English goalkeeper, but Middlesbrough ultimately won the race.
| Stat | Wildsmith |
| Appearances | 7 |
| Goals conceded | 11 |
| Clean sheets | 1 |
| Goals prevented | -4.14 |
O’Leary’s arrival in B71 means it looks unlikely that he will play for the rest of the season, and he is in search of regular game time elsewhere.
With the transfer window closing at 7:00pm on 2 February, Middlesbrough don’t have long to confirm the move, which has escalated rapidly.
Wildsmith has been awful when called upon, and fans certainly won’t be upset to see him go.
It had been thought for some time that Ramsay would look to get rid of Wildsmith, especially after what he showed prior to his arrival.
Wildsmith played a key part in Ryan Mason’s sacking
The decision to drop Griffiths for Wildsmith on 6 December massively backfired on Mason, and it definitely played a huge part in his sacking.
He came in for an away match against QPR, and his passing was atrocious as the Baggies lost 3-1.
Someone of his experience should be able to organise a defence, but there were several mix-ups when he came rushing out to deal with through balls.
As for his shot-stopping, big mistakes were made against QPR and Southampton, and Mason ultimately paid the price for his poor performances.
While there were plenty of other reasons for why the head coach was sacked on 6 January, Wildsmith’s introduction to the team certainly contributed to the end of Mason’s reign.
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