All the drama about it West Bromwich Albion being without a manager since the unfortunate Christmas departure of Carlos Corberan has finally been nipped in the bud Tony Mowbray now he’s officially back in charge.
Signing a contract for two and a half yearsBaggies fans will be hoping that the re-appointment of their former managerial great will spark a promotion in the here and now, with the 61-year-old having tasted that success with the West Midlands titans back in 2008.
Mowbray’s long-awaited return to the Hawthorns will now see the Baggies scrambling in the transfer window to seal some last-minute deals, with one already on the brink of completion.
West Brom close to long-term target
According to reports from Belgium – as he reported Sports witness – West Brom have now completed a medical for Northern Ireland star Isaac Price to finally join the club, having previously been linked with the Standard Liege midfielder the last window.
Talks have progressed rapidly and are now believed to be in the final stages. Sport Witness report that Price is on his way to England to finalize a move in the region of £1.6m as the Baggies strengthen ahead of the February deadline.
Mowbray will be keen for the move to go smoothly to land himself a quick first purchase at the Hawthorns, and the 21-year-old could be another young gem for the former Sunderland boss to work his magic on, having developed a reputation for bringing out the best from the wide spectrum of raw starlets when they take up residence at the Stadium of Light.
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What Price could offer West Brom
Back at West Brom, Price could link up with Alex Mowatt well in the middle of the park in learning the demands of the EFL, with the pair perhaps forming an exciting partnership centrally if the former Everton youngster can break into the first team and excel.
After all, the 21-year-old has managed to settle in well to his new surroundings in Belgium after leaving his boyhood club the Toffees, with scored a goal and two assists by the versatile midfielder last season.
Away from his scoring and assisting ability – which saw him score a last-minute goal in Jupiler Pro League action last campaign – Price has also won the favor of Liege fans with his combative nature which could make the Baggies tighter in midfield alongside the more creative Mowatt, with five ball returns made according to the league clash for 2024/25. with 5.2 successfully won duels.
That could give Mowbray a welcome headache upon his arrival, then, with Jayson Molumby the preferred partner for the former Leeds United man at the moment, with Uros Račić and Ousmane Diakité disappearing in these positions as alternative options.
As well as simply offering another body alongside Mowatt, Price has proved throughout his career so far that he is also versatile and adaptable, with the former Toffees academy product more than comfortable playing on the wing if required, while also dropping into defense as a makeshift centre-back. defender.
|
Price’s career numbers by position |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Position played |
Games played |
Goals scored |
Assists |
|
CM |
60 |
2 |
2 |
|
DM |
22 |
2 |
3 |
|
RM |
18 |
0 |
0 |
|
A.M |
14 |
0 |
1 |
|
RW |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
LM |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
CB |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Source: Transfermarkt |
|||
Looking at the table above, Mowbray would like to make Price his first signing based on his willingness to slot in anywhere, with the 21-year-old operating more as an attacking player for his national team – far from simply slotting in as a figurehead in the center of the park – with five goals scored of 16 senior international appearances.
Once hailed as “outstanding” potential ex-Everton team-mate Asmir Begovic, Price will also be hoping a return to England blossoms after waving a premature goodbye to Goodison Park, and Mowbray may be the perfect man to get the most out of the new signing.
