Phillips Exclusive: Striker could demand £90,000-a-wk+ deal to join West Brom
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Phillips believes that West Brom would be getting a bargain if they are able to sign Bournemouth striker Joshua King for £10million.
The Telegraph has reported that the Baggies have been in discussions with King, 28, about a £10million move to The Hawthorns before the domestic transfer window closes next Friday. However, it is also understood that West Ham are in talks to sign the Norway international, who wants to return to the top-flight after suffering relegation with the Cherries last season.
Phillips believes that despite West Brom's widely-reported budget constraints in this transfer window, King should be someone who Luke Dowling and Slaven Bilic can fund a move for.
"£10million, nowadays, is nothing," Phillips told West Brom News. "If that's the difference between staying in the Premier League or not then £10million is not nothing.
"I don't think that'll be an issue but I suppose his agent will be asking for at least double what he's earning on his wages down at Bournemouth - it may even be more.
"But, at the end of the day, the fee isn't astronomical so they might be able to afford to give him that."
Statistics website Spotrac reports that King is earning £45,000-a-week on his contract at Bournemouth.
That deal expires next summer so that might weaken King's stance if he wants to earn around double that.
But if West Brom want to convince King to join them over an established Premier League club like West Ham, they're going to have to offer more money and a bigger role in their squad than David Moyes could in his.
In other West Brom news, Guochuan Lai would be happy to discuss selling the Baggies.