What if clubs test West Brom's resolve with late bids?

Express & Star

Lewis Cox and Jonny Drury discuss the next lot of out of contract West Brom players on the latest episode of the Baggies Broadcast. Albion saw a number of players depart the club earlier this summer following the end of their contracts. Grady Diangana, Semi Ajayi, John Swift, Darnell Furlong and Jayson Molumby are all entering the final year of their deals. Kyle Bartley is also on that list, but he has an appearance related clause in his contract, while young keeper Ted Cann also has one year to go. Lewis and Jonny look at the squad situation, and discuss whether Albion would accept any late bids to avoid letting players go on free transfers next summer.

Transcript

00:00We've had an awful lot of players leave who are out of contract this summer. There are a few

00:06next year. Ted Kan signed a contract extension for the third-church goalkeeper. The club have

00:11got an extra-year option on him. Kyle Bartley signed a new deal with, I think, if he hits a

00:15certain amount of performances, he will trigger an extension. Aside from that, we've got Shemmy

00:20Ajayi out of contract in 2025. Jason Molumby is out of contract in 2025. John Swift is out of

00:28contract next year, as is Daniel Furlong, as is Grady Diangana. From my point of view,

00:35I don't think players who have one year left on the DRL are actively up for sale,

00:39but if decent offers came in for any of those players, I would listen to them.

00:44In terms of Molumby, there was some interest from Millwall a couple of weeks ago. I know Neil Harris

00:50talked about that, the Millwall manager. I think he signed Molumby when he was a lone player at

00:55the Den a few years ago. Obviously, nothing has come of that currently, but I think if there was

01:01interest, for example, if someone comes in for Grady Diangana and it's a decent deal,

01:07I don't think... Granted, the same with Furlong, Swift, Molumby, Ajayi,

01:13I don't think... I can't see Albion turning them down. They have to be the right offer, of course,

01:17but whether Albion are actively trying to move any of these players on, I doubt,

01:22given the size of the squad, but it's something they've certainly got to consider if Beds come in.

01:27I think Mag is another, is he, off the top of my head?

01:31He's not on my list here, but he could well be.

01:33Yeah, I'll have a check. I've got a feeling I'll remember that from earlier in the summer.

01:39Yeah, I think I agree, Jonny. It's tricky at this late stage, isn't it? And we are getting

01:45into late stage territory now, probably a week and a half, is it, to the end of the

01:49deadline or something, just on the basis that, yes, if the deal's attractive, it

01:56works certainly for Albion's finances, but you might find yourself in a little bit of a territory

02:01of it's a bit late to replace, it's a bit late to find an ideal cover, replacement of the money

02:08for Albion to make it work. Yes, it's the time for loans from clubs above because Premier League's

02:15just started, their tours have just finished, all of that. But it becomes trickier the later

02:19you go at this very late stage to do the replacements. For players who would be key,

02:25you know, I suppose if Corbyn's not aware of any imminent options at this point of players

02:32you would call key, like Furlong, absolutely key. Deangarna, key. Ajayi, key, even though

02:38there are other centre-halves. Swift, for reasons we talked about earlier, key. Molumbi, key.

02:44You know, yes, there are players coming in in certain positions, but it'd be late to react,

02:50wouldn't it? And when I say react, obviously Albion will be aware of what's out there in

02:54what positions in case something happened, I suppose. But I feel like Albion have had to

03:02kind of wait around this summer, haven't they? Corbyn's had to wait and he hasn't had all of

03:06his new recruits in for pre-season and that's been a bugbear. To be doing more than perhaps

03:12necessary at this late stage would be a hindrance. What are we on, August the 19th here and we're

03:18expecting three more signings? There's still very late integration to do to this squad. Is it wise

03:25to be wanting to do much more when you've got a reliable Furlong? I thought Furlong was great

03:29the other day. Again, I thought he carried on exactly where he left off last season,

03:34which is ideal. I think he played well at QPR, didn't he, from what I read and heard.

03:40So, to have him continue, hopefully showing some consistency, I'm sure Albion may look

03:45into his contract situation. Question marks with all of them, really. But

03:53I'm not sure it benefits the side or the squad to lose players at this stage. Look,

03:58I might be wrong and it could happen. Corbyn said to me in one of the presses that

04:02he doesn't want to see at this stage the squad weakened by any departures. Now,

04:06that could be seen as a bit of a vague sort of, maybe a sneaky answer in saying it is certain

04:16players leaving weakening the squad. But I think the exits of any of those weakens Albion at this

04:21point. Yeah, there was a bit more depth at the Hawthorns the other day, but it's not a fat squad,

04:29booked out by so many options. So, yeah, I'm not sure I can see it. But you're absolutely right to

04:38ask because a similar situation to this time last year, last season, where there's so many

04:43out of contract at the end of the season. And I do think, regardless of whether Albion will

04:49want to keep some of those players, we will be in another situation, partly down to finances, where

04:55it might just have to be a shake hands and a farewell and a free transfer, which is not ideal,

05:01certainly for the club, but this is possibly where we're at again.

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