Credit: Imago

Richie Mills

Tue 10 February 2026 16:21, UK

Eric Ramsay appears to have short-term concerns about new West Brom recruit Hindolo Mustapha.

After a quiet first half of the winter window, West Brom signed Bristol City goalkeeper Max O’Leary, 29, until the end of the season.

As they are in the thick of a Championship relegation battle, many West Brom fans wanted some extra experience and know-how when it came to signings in their bid to beat the drop.

Instead, West Brom snapped up Aston Villa attacking midfielder Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, 19, on loan, in addition to the short-term swoops for Crystal Palace youngsters Danny Imray, 22, and Mustapha, 19.

And ahead of West Brom’s crunch clash with Birmingham City on Tuesday night, head coach Ramsay has admitted Mustapha is not ready for first-team action for the time being.

Eric Ramsay has early doubts about new West Brom signing Hindolo Mustapha

Attacking midfielder Mustapha swapped Palace for West Brom on deadline day but he is yet to make his debut for the Baggies.

While fellow teenager Jimoh-Aloba played for just over an hour in West Brom’s goalless draw with Stoke City last Saturday at The Hawthorns, and Imray came off the bench, Mustapha is still waiting in the wings.

Now, under-pressure boss Ramsay, who is still seeking his first win after five matches in charge, has admitted that Mustapha is “not yet ready” to make an immediate first-team impact.

The Sierra Leone international was not in the matchday squad for the Stoke game and for the time being, it doesn’t seem like he will be making his debut for the foreseeable future.

The tell-tale signs may have been there for the teenager as he didn’t play a single minute for German second-tier side FC Nurnberg in the first half of this season while out on loan.

Instead, he featured just twice for their reserve team in the Regionalliga Bayern, with Mustapha racking up just 101 minutes of game time.

Given the lack of minutes in their reserve team, it is understandable that Ramsay does not deem him ready for a Championship relegation fight.

However, West Brom needed winter signings for the here and now and for them to hit the ground running.

The Baggies may not be able to afford Mustapha much time to bed in as they try, and stay in the English second tier.

• Read more: West Brom fans already sick of Eric Ramsay after what’s been said on Stoke City draw

Can West Brom stave off relegation to League One?

Since Ramsay took charge a month ago, West Brom have won none, drawn two, and lost three – including heavy defeats to Portsmouth and Norwich City.

The Stoke game may have been a step in the right direction for West Brom optimists, including Ramsay, as they secured their first clean sheet in 11 matches.

Despite having one of the better squads on paper in the Championship, they are struggling for goals and have the second-worst away record in the division.

Things don’t get any easier for West Brom as they travel to Birmingham on Tuesday as heavy underdogs. But later this month, there are some more winnable fixtures.

Coventry City are in a poor run of form and have been dislodged from top spot by Middlesbrough, plus Charlton Athletic and Oxford United are right down there with West Brom.

They are one point above the bottom three but the wins simply have to come. If not, Ramsay could be out the job before we hit March.