West Brom plot swoop to sign £20m-rated forward - report

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18 Dec 2019, 2:44 am

West Brom are plotting a swoop to sign Hull City forward Jarrod Bowen in the January transfer window, according to The Athletic.

The news outlet claims that Albion are "looking at ways" to match Hull's £20million-valuation of the 22-year-old ace, who has scored 17 goals in 23 appearances across all competitions this season for the Tigers.

It is understood that it is a longshot for West Brom to sign Bowen amid interest from the Premier League but he is still being targetted as someone who could aid Slaven Bilic's side in their bid for automatic promotion from the Championship.

There is no doubt that Bowen would be a sensational signing for West Brom but supporters should not get too excited just yet.

West Brom would have to be sure of winning promotion to the Premier League if they were to sign the Hull ace in January.

Financial Fair Play regulations could see the Baggies' activity in the transfer market hamstrung next summer with parachute payments starting to dry up.

If £20million - or anywhere near that figure - was splashed out on Bowen in January and promotion was not won, it could spell disaster for the club's finances.

West Brom's chief executive Mark Jenkins is not known as a man who takes financial risks.

After returning to The Hawthorns in 2018, the Albion chief executive expressed his "shock" over the club's finances and since relegation to the Championship, spending has been shrewd.

It does not mean that West Brom will avoid signing players but their main strategy since dropping down a division has been offloading players on big wages and replacing them with cheaper alternatives.

West Brom are currently top of the league and 12 points clear of third-place so Jenkins does have a decision to make in January.

Splash out on Bowen, presuming that the Baggies are going to go up.

Or take a chance and wait to try and land the Hull star in the summer, knowing for certain what the fate of the West Midlands side will be going into 2020/21.

In other West Brom news, Albion have been handed an injury boost to his first-team ace.

West Bromwich Albion

Jarrod Bowen