West Brom transfer business shows clear James Morrison gamble before new season

West Bromwich Albion have made a promising start to the transfer window.

Going young in attack, Barney Stewart and Jimmy-Jay Morgan have arrived from Falkirk and Chelsea respectively.

Matt Ingram has also made the switch from Oxford United, adding experience in the goalkeeping ranks.

This strong start to the window was always going to be needed after last term, when Albion found themselves in a relegation battle.

But fans can now begin to get excited ahead of James Morrison's first full season in charge.

And based on the early business, fans in the Black Country can begin to piece together what the aim of the club is in the coming years.

What story does West Brom's early business tell us?

Entering the striker market was always going to be the case following the expiration of multiple deals this month.

But Stewart and Morgan being 22 and 20 does point in a very specific direction.

Morrison has not just revamped his options in the final third, he has completely overhauled the potential level that his side could reach, with the average age lowered drastically.

And based on the links with Ben Brereton Diaz and Cameron Archer, the Baggies see additions in the final third absolutely crucial to their upcoming campaign.

Morrison already has a neat young squad, with plenty far from the prime age of their careers.

Adding more youth in Stewart and Morgan, alongside potential Championship expertise in Brereton Diaz or Archer, is almost the perfect mix for the second tier.

What can be expected of West Brom under James Morrison?

Naturally, the expectations ahead of the campaign differ from when Morrison took the job in February.

Given their size, the Baggies are a club who should always be aiming for more than just consolidation whenever they are in the second tier.

And while the immediate goal will not be to go up automatically, West Brom will quietly be targeting the upper echelons of mid-table and even the playoffs - Hull City's promotion proved anything is possible in this regard.

Morrison has worked well to get the right people around him, and seems to have experience well beyond his years in this regard.

What is crucial now, though, is that he finds a plan and sticks to it - whether this be in terms of style of play or recruitment.

The signs point in an exciting direction, but this must be backed up by the ambition to go on and achieve things with this group, and escape the troubles of last season.