West Bromwich Albion need a leader ahead of their probable relegation to the Championship.
It seems to be becoming a more common occurrence these days for clubs to bring players back after previously selling or releasing them having not expected them to reach the level that they would go on to find during their careers. When Ashley Williams was 16, West Brom decided that he was probably not going to be good enough for the Baggies in the future.
Fast forward nearly two decades, and West Brom look destined to be playing Championship football next season with relegation from the Premier League looking to be a formality at this stage.
Relegation is likely to mean that several of their important players will leave. The Telegraph recently reported that Tottenham are amongst the clubs targeting triggering the £3 million release clause in Jonny Evans’ contract that will be activated should they go down. Meanwhile, The Sun recently suggested that another defender, Craig Dawson is attracting attention from the likes of Everton.
If both players move on, West Brom would lose two of their best and most consistent players, and their defence will need serious bolstering in the summer if they are going to be ready for life in the second tier.
So perhaps, the Baggies should look to capitalise on Williams’ pretty miserable year with the Toffees and attempt to make the 33-year-old the stalwart of their side next season.
Williams may have endured a poor spell since arriving at Everton for £12 million – fee reported by BBC Sport – but he has shown he can be an excellent defender, and he may well thrive in the Championship, having previously helped Swansea to promotion out of the division.
If Evans and Dawson do move on, the Baggies undoubtedly need to strengthen their options at the back and need to find some leaders ahead of what will certainly be a tough year. Bringing Williams back – perhaps as part of the deal that sees Dawson head to Goodison Park if that looks to be on the cards – may be a very smart move from West Brom.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
