West Brom have Max O’Leary contract priority after recent turnaround
West Bromwich Albion need to sort Max O’Leary’s future in the near future.
The goalkeeper signed on a short-term deal in January, agreeing terms on a six-month contract, which is set to run out at the end of the season.
His reign between the sticks did not start well as he regularly made mistakes and was not good enough, but he has turned it around in recent weeks.
He has played a key part in the Baggies’ recent unbeaten run, which has seen them pull away from the relegation zone.
West Brom need O’Leary to stick around, as he has proven that he is good enough under James Morrison.
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Why should O’Leary be kept around by West Brom?
O’Leary’s West Brom future should be certain, he has proven that he has the quality to be the number one going forward for the Baggies.
Albion have conceded in just one of their last five matches, the 2-2 draw with Wrexham on 3 April, for which the 29-year-old was on the bench.
The Republic of Ireland international has not conceded in the last 336 minutes that he has been on the pitch for The Hawthorns side.
How O’Leary performed vs Preston
In the 2-0 win over Preston, he was one of the standout players for Morrison’s side.
He made one save, preventing an expected goals tally of 0.53, and had two punches in the contest, according to data from Sofascore.
He had four clearances and 12 recoveries, which helped ease pressure on his team from the Deepdale side.
| O’Leary’s stats vs Preston | |
| Saves | 1 |
| Punches | 2 |
| Clearances | 4 |
| Recoveries | 12 |
| Pass accuracy | 38% |
His distribution could have been better, as he took 39 touches and gave possession away 16 times, and recorded a pass accuracy of just 38 per cent, but that is the least of the Baggies’ concerns.
O’Leary has shown that he is capable of being the long-term stopper for the Throstles, now, they need to get a deal done to keep him around in the Black Country for the foreseeable future.
If they don’t, then he will likely showcase his talents elsewhere in the division, and the B71 outfit will regret not agreeing to terms with the veteran when he shines at a new club and they are left searching for a new stopper.
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