West Bromwich Albion are already identifying players ahead of their seemingly inevitable relegation to the Championship.
Restricted by Financial Fair Play, West Bromwich Albion did not spend a penny in the January transfer window. Only Ali Gabr and Daniel Sturridge arrived on loan deals, with Alan Pardew denied the chance to spend in order to save the Baggies’ Premier League status.
Almost two months after the window slammed shut, relegation to the Championship looks almost inevitable and the inability to invest in January is proving costly. After the last-gasp 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday, West Brom are now ten points adrift of safety.
And the identity of West Brom’s primary summer target hints at the difficulties yet to come.
With just 24 goals to their name, West Brom are the Premier League’s lowest scorers. Sturridge will leave when his loan move from Liverpool expires, while both Jay Rodriguez and Salomon Rondon (below) have interest from top flight clubs, making attacking reinforcements a necessity.
But paying £2 million for a striker who has scored just five times in 26 games in the Spanish second tier this season is hardly likely to get the punters betting on West Brom as 2019 Championship winners.
If West Brom are targeting players of Guillermo’s ilk and price-tag, you wonder whether they will find themselves following in the footsteps of Norwich or Hull City in the coming years.
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