Why Souleyman Mandey wanted to leave The Hawthorns as West Brom confirm new exit
Souleyman Mandey has left West Bromwich Albion on a permanent deal.
The promising forward has had his departure confirmed by the Baggies this Thursday, joining Austrian side Grazer AK.
The 20-year-old made his professional debut for the Albion in the final game of last season, as James Morrison brought him on for Ousmane Diakite in the 90th minute at Sheffield Wednesday.
Mandey played and scored twice in a recent pre-season game for West Brom's U21s over a PFA free agent side, showcasing his talent.
The Black Country Club have a great history for their successful youth setup, and the attacking midfielder could have been another success story.
However, it appears Mandey turned down the chance to stay with West Brom, which may have forced the club's hand.
The finer details of Souleyman Mandey's West Brom exit
Mandey has displayed great promise for West Brom, especially this pre-season, showcasing an impressive physical performance against the PFA.
He played 30 times for the U21s last season, scoring 10 times across league and cup games, adding four assists, too.
Mandey also recently made his debut for Austria's U21s, and will return to his home country.
According to Express and Star journalist Matt Maher, Mandey turned down a new deal to stay at The Hawthorns.
This then made the Baggies sell the versatile forward for a small fee.
A "significant" sell-on fee is in the deal, hoping to profit further if he continues to develop with Grazer AK.
He follows former U21s team-mate Eseosa Sule in making the decision to move on from West Brom so soon.
Why Mandey will have forced West Brom's hand
West Brom were keen to keep Mandey after being convinced of his future potential.
However, the forward made it clear that he was not going to sign a new deal, which has forced the Baggies to cash in on him perhaps earlier than they would have liked too.
If West Brom kept the forward, he would have departed The Hawthorns for nothing next summer.
Mandey was clearly keen on a return to his homeland, and has a much increased chance of playing regular first-team minutes with Grazer, which helps make sense of the decision to sell him.