How much money West Brom could save as Bologna bid for Heggem
West Brom are weighing up whether to allow Torbjorn Heggem to leave this summer.
The Norway international only signed for the Baggies in June 2024 and quickly became an integral part of the team, starting all but one game in the Championship last season.
However, West Brom could face losing the influential defender after his excellent performances have attracted the attention of Serie A side Bologna.
The Italian side submitted a bid worth £5.6million for Heggem on Friday (1 August), leaving owner Shilen Patel with a difficult decision to make.
West Brom could save £792,000 by selling Heggem to Bologna
West Brom have only made three signings this summer in Aune Heggebo, Nat Phillips, and George Campbell as they continue to operate on a tight budget.
It has left Ryan Mason with little flexibility to shuffle things around at The Hawthorns, stunting the manager's ability to instil his personal touch to the squad.
The 34-year-old could be about to suffer a significant setback as West Brom weigh up Bologna's opening offer, which would see the Albion earn around ten times the fee they paid for Heggem just over a year ago.
The 26-year-old has just under two years left on his contract and earns £8,000 a week, according to Capology.
Therefore, if a transfer was to be finalised by the end of next week, West Brom could save £792,000 in wages, taking the value of his departure to well over £6million for the West Midlands side.
It will be a difficult proposition for the Championship side to refuse, but it could leave Mason with an uphill battle ahead of next season if they fail to find an adequate replacement.
Unsettling defence could prove very costly for West Brom
Despite the numerous managerial changes last season, West Brom remained defensively solid throughout the campaign, with Heggem playing a key role.
| Team | Goals Conceded | Clean Sheets |
| Burnley | 16 | 30 |
| Leeds | 30 | 25 |
| Sheffield United | 38 | 22 |
| Sunderland | 47 | 17 |
| West Brom | 47 | 14 |
Their defensive stability offered the Baggies a platform to build on, and part of Mason's appeal was to bring in more attacking prowess to the goal-shy team.
However, unsettling the defensive unit by selling arguably their most influential player would remove one of West Brom's most reliable assets, which could prove to be a very costly move.
A lot of their success will depend on finding a suitable replacement, but with Phillips' arrival already set to alter the back line, it could be wise to hold on to Heggem to offer some stability.
Sign up for the West Brom News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking West Bromwich Albion news sent straight to your phone.