West Bromwich Albion would love to sign Grady Diangana on a permanent deal but the £15 million-rated West Ham winger also has admirers at Celtic, according to The Sun (13 July, page 47).
While Matheus Pereira has hogged the headlines on a bi-weekly basis since moving to the Hawthorns last summer from Sporting Lisbon, the brilliant Brazilian is not the only Baggies loanee to take the Championship by storm.
With his explosive speed and skills straight out of FIFA Street, Diangana has been a full-back’s nightmare in 2019/20.
And, with two brilliantly taken finishes in each of his last two league games, the 22-year-old has added end product to his game as well with seven strikes and six assists for a promotion-chasing West Brom side.
So no wonder Slaven Bilic would jump at the chance to tie up a potential £15 million permanent deal with the Midland giants just three games away from a return to the Premier League.
The riches on offer in England’s top flight should put Diangana within West Brom’s financial reach.
Celtic’s hopes, however, surely rest on whether or not West Ham are willing to send the England u21 international out for another temporary spell away from the London Stadium.
After all, at £15 million, Diangana would obliterate Celtic’s transfer record. And that feels unlikely in such an uncertain market, unless the Hoops cash in star striker Odsonne Edouard for example.
“I had a good chat with Gareth Barry about him and he says that he’ll go on and play at the top. They adore him at West Brom and I think they’d love to keep hold of him,” former England international Lee Hendrie told Sky Sports.
“He’s been magnificent, easy on the eye and a massive plus point for West Brom.”
You can say that again.
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