West Brom: Ian Pearce deserves his flowers after Carter Pinnington reveal

West Brom head of recruitment Ian Pearce has done a brilliant job with the Carter Pinnington deal.

The Baggies are set to sign the 19-year-old from Liverpool, beating several clubs to his signature.

Pinnington will provide James Morrison with depth at centre-back behind the likes of Nat Phillips, Chris Mepham and Krystian Bielik.

The recruitment strategy in the Black Country has come under scrutiny in recent years, especially after the relegation battle last season.

However, the latest reveals shows that Pearce deserves his flowers, as Albion have secured a very promising player for basically peanuts.

Pinnington was very highly-rated on Merseyside, and it is a very clever piece of business from The Hawthorns side.

How much will West Brom pay for Carter Pinnington?

The Baggies will not pay an initial fee to sign the Liverpool Under-21 star, it has been revealed.

Simon Jones, of the Daily Mail, claimed on Monday that it will instead be a case of appearance-based add-ons and a sell-on clause.

So, essentially if he can't force his way into the team, the Baggies will pay a minimal amount.

If he does become a hit, then it is worth every penny, and won't cost too much.

Why Pinnington dial signals shift in recruitment policy

West Brom's transfer strategy seems to be pretty clear: buy young talents who could come in and make an impact.

They are reported to have agreed a deal for Chelsea youth striker Jimmy-Jay Morgan and are also chasing Falkirk striker Barney Stewart.

It is a clear shift in priorities, and one that could pay off massively, if the players hit it off in the Championship.

It has a double benefit for the B71 club. The signings can either become stars in the West Midlands, or they have enough resale value where they can make a profit in the future.

That will provide comfort to supporters after the financial difficulties that the side endured last season, where a points deduction could have seen them relegated had they not picked up results on the pitch.

They also need to add senior options to get back up the table, but it is never bad thing to add promising young players to the squad for depth purposes.