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22 goals in 20 starts, would Bas Dost have saved West Brom?

Alan Pardew, Manager of West Bromwich Albion looks dejected during the Premier League match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Ro...
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Premier League duo West Bromwich Albion and Everton were both looking at Sporting Lisbon’s Bas Dost last year and it’s clear to see why.

Sporting's Dutch forward Bas Dost celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Europa League football match Sporting CP vs FC Astana at the Alvalade stadium in Lisbon on...

Perhaps if Bas Dost played in a more highly profile league than Portugal’s top flight, he would be one of the most feared and respected strikers on the continent.

Instead, the Dutchman’s remarkable strike rate goes rather under the radar. Though that is not to say he has not turned the heads of the odd Premier League club as he scored for fun at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Correio de Manha claimed last summer that both Everton and West Brom had their eyes firmly clasped on Dost and it wasn’t difficult to see why. With 34 goals in 30 league starts for Sporting, the former Wolfsburg poacher produced a goals tally that the Messis and Ronaldos of this world would be proud of.

Alan Pardew, Manager of West Bromwich Albion looks dejected during the Premier League match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Road on March 3, 2018 in Watford, England.

And, after staying at Sporting despite interest from England, the 28-year-old is on track for another remarkable individual campaign.

A customary goal in the 2-0 home win against Rio Ave on Sunday took Dost’s tally to 23 in 22 starts in 2017/18. That is 57 altogether in 50 games in two seasons in Portugal.

Sporting's Dutch forward Bas Dost (R) celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Europa League Round of 32 second leg football match between Sporting CP and FC Astana at the Jose...

So with West Brom both enduring problems in front of goal at different times this season, Dost’s evergreen proclivity might have fans wondering what might have been.

Could Dost have scored the goals required to keep a seemingly doomed West Brom safe from the drop?