Liverpool prospect 'attracting interest' from West Brom and Ipswich Town
The latest transfer news as West Brom and Ipswich consider moves for a Liverpool talent.
West Bromwich Albion are reportedly among a handful of Championship clubs interested in signing a Liverpool youngster on loan.
The Baggies are in the market for a new central midfielder and are considering loaning from the Premier League to provide cover for the season ahead. New head coach Ryan Mason has already welcomed central defensive duo Nat Phillips and George Campbell and striker Aune Heggebø to The Hawthorns but he’s eager to bring in more reinforcements.
West Brom are understood to have spent around £9 million on Heggebø, Campbell and Phillips, so much of this summer’s budget is already gone. Targeting free agents and loanees could be a good method to get around spending over the odds, though, as that way Albion can take very few financial risks while plugging gaps.
West Brom and Ipswich eye Liverpool loan transfer
With that in mind, one player the Baggies are seemingly targeting is Liverpool midfielder James McConnell. The 20-year-old, capable of playing as a number six, an eight or a 10, has gradually been making his breakthrough at Anfield. McConnell has racked up 13 senior appearances to date and looks like a decent talent.
The Mirror reports Liverpool have decided to loan McConnell out to get regular first-team minutes, with a move to the Championship preferred. The midfielder is said to be ‘attracting interest’ from West Brom, Ipswich Town, Derby County, Oxford United and Swansea City. French Ligue 1 side Metz are also keen.
McConnell could be a great signing for any of those clubs. The youngster has gained the faith of Liverpool boss Arne Slot as he was handed a start and a full 90 minutes in the UEFA Champions League last season against PSV Eindhoven. Jurgen Klopp liked the look of McConnell, too, as he awarded him three Premier League cameos during the 2023/24 campaign.
Heggem on the move
In other West Brom transfer news, central defender Torbjorn Heggem is closing in on a move to Bologna. Birmingham World understands talks are at an advanced stage over a deal worth in the region of £10 million, representing a hefty £9.5 million profit on the mere £500,000 paid just 13 months ago.
Those funds would go immediately onto West Brom’s books and revoke any concerns over a potential breach of the Championship’s profit and sustainability rules. Even if Albion were to sign players with the £10 million raised, the cost of transfer fees is spread across the course of a player’s contract for PSR reasons, so it’s a no-brainer.
Yes, Heggem’s exit will hit hard as Albion looked like a much more defensively sound team when he was playing last season, but it’s a necessary sale. As much as Heggem is a talismanic figure in the squad, West Brom simply cannot turn down a 1,900% profit margin. It’ll also be a great relief to wave farewell to PSR worries.