Shilen Patel is looking for West Brom's next manager
Shilen Patel is looking for West Brom's next manager

Shilen Patel frustration emerges amid West Brom transfer situation

Dan Godfrey

Dan is a sports writer and broadcaster, who wrote for Breaking Media Limited's club sites between May 2024 and May 2025. Graduating from the University of Huddersfield in 2018 with First Class Honours in Sports Journalism, Dan has worked with several EFL clubs, as well as with BBC Radio, talkSPORT and TNT Sports. He previously resided in Sydney, Australia, where he continued his career as a freelance writer and broadcaster in various sports.

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Shilen Patel has been left frustrated with the EFL's control over the business model at West Brom, City AM reports.

Matt Hughes' article [28 August] explained that the enforcement of a business plan on Albion due to previous spending has forced Patel to limit the club's transfer activity.

The Florida-based Baggies owner has since paid off an outstanding £3.7m loan to former chairman Jeremy Peace and invested a further seven-figure sum into improving Albion's infrastructure.

West Brom held back by EFL business plan

With West Brom having reportedly been on track to breach PSR stipulations, the club's transfer ambitions have been shackled.

Patel is nevertheless appearing to do his utmost to move on from the difficulties - but with very limited time remaining in the current window, there could be little the club can do to strengthen Carlos Corberan's squad.

So far, only Callum Styles and Torbjorn Heggem have been signed for outright transfer fees, only comprising around £1m for the pair; the Baggies have claimed nearly £5m in player sales, whilst releasing several higher earners from last season's play-off semi-finalist squad.

West Brom Shilen Patel
West Brom chairman Shilen Patel

The rest of Corberan's new charges have been brought in on either free transfers or loans - an enforced recruitment policy which has seen some outsiders' expectations of the team lowered this time around.

However, Corberan appears to be getting the best out of what he has - even with injury struggles amongst the squad - with a bright start to the Championship campaign at The Hawthorns.

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