West Brom must now offload 22.5kp/w star Bruce was ‘delighted’ to sign

Carlos Corberan he had his work cut out for him West Bromwich Albion dugout this summer as several key players from last season left the Hawthorns.

Brandon Thomas-Asante, Conor Townsend, Okay Yokuslu and Cedric Kipre were the main faces to leave who played a key role in the Baggies’ push for a play-off finish, with the last of those named stinging the most, bearing in mind that the imposing central one left the building for nothing.

Despite some significant changes to his starting XI, Corberan has managed to lead West Brom to a promising seven wins a championship action so far, but will be wary of the possibility of more players up and leaving for nothing in the end.

Out-of-contract West Brom players

There are a number of players in the Spaniard’s camp who could see the end of their West Brom careers come to an end, with Kyle Bartley knowing his contract is up next summer, having previously ‘had lined up alongside Kipre week after week.

The 33-year-old has been a staple in Corberan’s line-ups since the former Huddersfield Town boss was uprooted to the West Midlands, with 216 appearances under his belt now for the promotion hunters.

The experienced defender should therefore be considered for a new deal, despite being in the twilight years of his playing days.

Other soon-to-be-out-of-contract faces include Grady Diangana, who has fallen down the Corberan order this season, along with Jayson Molumby and Semi Ajayi elsewhere in the squad.

While the Baggies boss considers whether to keep these players next summer, he could be tempted to allow the West Brom star to leave now that he has blown hot and cold far too often.

John Swift’s time at West Brom

Swift would have been seen as a fantastic pickup when he leaves Reading behind for pastures new at West Brom in 2022, having been a reliable source of goals and assists for the Royals in the EFL.

Indeed, the former Chelsea youth player would pack a huge punch 34 goals and 37 assists by donning Reading blue and white, before moving on to a new challenge at the Baggies.

The move would have felt even sweeter to get over the line when you consider Swift also joined on a free transfer, with then Baggies manager Steve Bruce even saying how “delighted” was that a deal could be struck to land such an experienced championship player.

While the West Brom number ten has shown his class at times at the Hawthorns, with nine attacks fired at home Last season, as his team dreamed of promotion to the Premier League, it goes without saying – when we look at his numbers for this campaign so far – that he is now below his best.

There has been a noticeable decline in Swift’s creative style this season, with zero goals and zero assists to his name from his limited starts in the league, as well as the fact that only one big opportunity has been created for the aging 29-year-old when unleashed in second-tier matches.

He also has a big salary in the championship field, with his Pay package of £22.5k per week Seeing him earn more than first-team regulars Karlan Grant, Alex Mowatt and Josh Maja, the timing is right for West Brom to move on from the 6ft attacking midfielder when his current deal expires in 2025.

West Brom fans will hold many happy memories of Swift, but with a new generation of exciting talent also emerging in the form of Tom Fellows, Bruce’s signing days at the club seem numbered.

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