West Brom fans in disbelief at disappointing exit news - 'Villa bound'

West Brom released their retained list on Tuesday, leaving fans to question one of the decisions made.

West Brom won't need anyone to tell them this, but this summer is going to be huge for them if they are to have any chance of sealing promotion back to the Premier League next season.

First and foremost, the managerial situation at The Hawthorns needs to be sorted as a matter of urgency, before attentions then turn to recruitment.

With that in mind, Albion have already made a decision on who will leave this summer, and the inclusion of one name has sparked some major concern in the Midlands.

The Hawthorns set for summer rebuild

West Brom's retained list doesn't throw up too many surprises, with Grady Diangana and Semi Ajayi among those departing at the end of their contract.

John Swift is another to be leaving this summer, having endured a fairly wretched time as a West Brom player, but one of the other names on the list has raised eyebrows.

Fenton Heard will be leaving the Baggies ahead of the summer, in news that has been the cause of an immense amount of confusion.

Heard wasn't afforded the chance to shine in the Championship, though he certainly has potential, and several West Brom fans think he is set for a move to Aston Villa.

West Brom have a huge summer ahead

With several first-team players leaving, West Brom have a remarkable amount of work to do in the coming months to get prepared for the new Championship campaign.

Diangana and Ajayi, especially, have been regulars when fit for Albion, and despite some poor performances throughout the campaign, they won't be easy to replace.

However, that will be a job for the new manager to have a say in, though with very few updates from The Hawthorns, it seems any appointment is still some distance away yet.

As for Heard, West Brom will keep a close eye on his next move, with hopes that he can start showcasing the potential that everyone at The Hawthorns knows he has.