Credit: Imago/Getty

Aheed Abrar

Sat 16 May 2026 7:00, UK

West Bromwich Albion may use the newly introduced squad cost ratio system to bring back Alex Palmer from Ipswich Town in the upcoming transfer window.

Clubs in the Championship will be given more financial flexibility as profit and sustainability rules are being replaced by SCR from the 2026-27 campaign, allowing teams in England’s second tier to use 85 per cent of their revenue on player costs and an annual £10million injection to support spending.

West Brom were docked two points by the EFL for their breach of PSR, which the Baggies deny, but they have managed to avoid relegation this season.

Palmer was sold at The Hawthorns in the 2025 winter transfer window, but the Albion have struggled to replace him ever since, with Josh Griffiths, Max O’Leary and Joe Wildsmith struggling to make the number one spot their own.

Shilen Patel must now back James Morrison in the summer after appointing him as the permanent manager, and using the new financial rules to work on the 29-year-old shot-stopper’s return should be on the agenda in B71.

Alex Palmer departure was start of West Brom downfall

Palmer’s sale at West Brom made financial sense at the time, but since then, there has been a drastic decline in the team’s performance.

The Baggies were in contention for a play-offs spot in the previous campaign, but slowly started to descend down the table after the Englishman’s departure.

Having just about survived relegation, Bilkul Football must recognise that they need a quality shot-stopper as a priority to get the standards back up at The Hawthorns.

Patel now has no excuse to keep selling the Black Country outfit’s best players and failing to sign reasonable reinforcements, with the change to the SCR system set to commence soon.

Palmer has played second fiddle to Christian Walton at Ipswich, and with the Tractor Boys back in the Premier League, the West Brom academy graduate’s prospects at Portman Road don’t look great.

James Morrison has another summer transfer priority

Aune Heggebo is the leading league goalscorer for West Brom this season, with nine, followed by Isaac Price with eight.

The Baggies undoubtedly need a reliable goalscorer if they have any ambitions of pushing for promotion in the coming years.

Josh Maja’s contract at The Hawthorns also expires in June, making the addition of a new number nine an evident priority for the Albion.

Fans expect the American owners to learn from their lessons and build a squad capable of pushing for a top-six finish next season and the signing of a quality goalkeeper and striker will certainly go a long way toward achieving that goal in B71.