Prolific 19-year-old Henry Onyekuru is interesting both West Brom and Celtic and he would give Tony Pulis more options up top than Troy Deeney.
As if there were not enough teams already on the chase for Henry Onyekuru, according to the Daily Mail, West Bromwich Albion are the latest club to express an interest in the Belgian league’s breakthrough star.
Onyekuru has netted 19 goals for unfancied Eupen this season and, as a consequence, a seemingly endless list of clubs from all across the continent are reportedly tracking the 19-year-old. Therefore, West Brom have quite a challenge on their hands with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Borussia Monchengladbach, Sevilla and Southampton just a few of Onyekuru’s reported suitors.
Yet, as reported by the Daily Mail, huge competition is unlikely to prevent Baggies boss Tony Pulis from tempting Onyekuru to The Hawthorns. Yet, it seems that one club above all others will fight tooth and nail until a deal is signed and sealed.
The newspaper reports that Celtic were one of the first clubs to make an approach all the way back in January, bidding £1 million. However, Eupen have made clear that they will now not consider selling Onyekuru for anything less than £6.8 million.
Thanks to the Premier League’s unfathomable riches, such a fee is little more than pocket change for a West Brom side now bankrolled by wealthy Chinese owners. Therefore, this may give them an advantage over a Celtic side whose budget will be dwarfed by comparison.
Signing Onyekuru for £6.8 million would make the teenager the fifth most expensive player in Celtic’s history.
However, would Onyekuru represent a more astute addition for West Brom than Troy Deeney? The Daily Mirror claimed that The Baggies are ready to pay a club-record £20 million for the Watford striker.
Yet, while Deeney appears a perfect fit for Pulis’ game plan: strong, good in the air, hardworking and excellent with his back to goal, Onyekuru would offer something of a wildcard option.
Quick and direct, the Nigerian would give West Brom a quicksilver Plan B rather than another physical front man.
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