Jonny Evans has been one of the Premier League’s most astute bargain buys and West Brom may repeat the trick with Tottenham’s Kevin Wimmer available.
While the Premier League’s established elite have splurged huge sums on the likes of Nicholas Otamendi, Dejan Lovren and Shkodran Mustafi, West Bromwich Albion’s £6million deal to sign Jonny Evans appears all the more ingenious by comparison, as reported by The Guardian.
Unceremoniously dumped by former Manchester United boss Louis Van Gaal, current incumbent Jose Mourinho could be forgiven for sending his predecessor a few strongly worded emails. Evans has been a pillar of consistency in his two seasons at The Hawthorns and, in West Brom’s recent goalless draw with United, the Northern Irishman was the best player on the pitch.
And the Baggies could even repeat the trick by rescuing another out-of-favour centre-back from one of the league’s biggest names. The Daily Mail claim that West Brom have expressed an interest in Tottenham Hotspur’s forgotten man Kevin Wimmer, with the Austrian international restricted to just four Premier League experiences all season.
You can understand why Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is overlooking the 24-year-old. Tottenham have the best defensive record in the Premier League with Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen developing an almost telepathic understanding from their time together with Ajax, Belgium and now Spurs.
Yet, it is testament to Wimmer’s ability that, when Vertonghen missed six weeks of football with injury last season, it hardly derailed their title challenge.
The former Cologne defender is composed in possession while an impressive reader of the game blessed with natural physicality. Therefore, he could thrive in West Brom’s smaller pond alongside Evans.
The Daily Mail claim that Mamadou Sakho remains Baggies manager Tony Pulis’ top priority. However, with the Frenchman starring at Crystal Palace, it is likely that parent club Liverpool would demand a fee shattering West Brom’s transfer record.
Therefore, they should keep in mind their £6million Evans swoop and partner him with Spurs’ highly-rated outcast.
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