Steve Bruce could finally land Hamza Choudhury at West Brom, as reported by The Sun, while Leicester City line up a £20 million deal to bring Sofiane Diop to the Premier League.
It speaks volumes about Newcastle United’s ambition – or a lack thereof – during the troubled Mike Ashley era that, only a few weeks before those Saudi Arabian petrodollars shook the sleeping giant from it’s slumber, the Magpies refused to pay a £1 million loan fee for Hamza Choudhury.
According to The Times, Bruce was ‘desperate’ to bring the tough-tackling England U21 enforcer to St James’ Park. Even the most hard-nosed member of the ‘Bruce Out’ brigade must have felt some pang of sympathy for their embattled gaffer, then, when even the most affordable and attainable of transfer targets slipped through his grasp.
Especially when you consider that, just a few weeks later, his successor was being backed to the tune of £33 million in pursuit of a lavishly gifted Brazilian international with footwork that would make even Fred Astaire turn a deep shade of jade green.
Steve Bruce can finally land Hamza Choudhury at West Brom
Bruce hasn’t forgotten about Choudhury. According to The Sun, West Brom are lining up an initial loan deal that could turn into a permanent transfer if the Baggies seal a return to the Premier League in 2022/23.
Choudhury played just six top-flight games last term. Though erratic, impulsive and with more rough edges than a rusty chainsaw, Choudhury would be welcomed with open arms by West Brom. The Baggies are, after all, lacking a proper defensive midfielder.
The Loughborough-born ankle-biter impressed when filling in at centre-half in recent months too.
“You consider Hamza Choudhury was playing at centre-half; What a performance that was from him,” Brendan Rodgers told the BBC after January’s 4-1 thrashing of Watford.
“I rang him last night to tell him he would have to play there rather in midfield. He just accepted it and played to a really high level.”
Leicester will let their academy graduate leave and selling Choudhury would raise funds for Monaco’s Diop.
Diop, a £20 million-rated attacking midfielder ,produced nine goals and seven assists for the Ligue 1 giants in 2021/22. His arrival would help ease the creative burden on James Maddison in the final third.
West Brom have already added some much-needed ‘flair’ to their ranks in the shape of Reading’s John Swift. Blackburn Rovers skipper Darragh Lenihan is another target, alongside Millwall talisman Jed Wallace.
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