West Bromwich Albion have entered a crucial summer transfer window as new head coach Ryan Mason aims to get the club back in Championship play-off contention.
The Baggies fell to a disappointing ninth-placed finish last season after losing Carlos Corberan in December and seeing Tony Mowbray fail to recreate his heroics from years gone by. It became clear towards the end of the campaign that the squad wouldn’t have been ready for the play-offs even if a top-six finish was achieved, so there’s a lot of work to do this summer to correct that.
At the very least, West Brom will need to replace outgoing first-team players Grady Diangana, John Swift and Semi Ajayi but there are so many other positions that need strengthening. Academy product Tom Fellows could leave for the Premier League to free up around £15 million in funds but much of the business will need to be cheap or free as Albion’s financial situation still isn’t ideal.
It’s a tough job for the recruitment team, with the club’s structure likely to see Mason left out of much of the transfer discussions. The new head coach may call in a favour or two from his former club Tottenham Hotspur, however, with a couple of youngsters being eyed for loan deals.
Who else could join and who else could leave, though? Well, so much is still up in the air but we here at Birmingham World have taken a deep dive into the likeliest sales and signings at The Hawthorns. With that in mind, click through the pages to see how West Brom’s squad could shape up for the 2025/26 season – as well as explanations for each and every player listed.
1. Josh Griffiths
Handed a few starts towards the end of last campaign, Griffiths might be handed the number one shirt next season. It awaits to be seen if Albion are going to replace Alex Palmer with a new signing or not. | Getty Images
2. Joe Wildsmith
The former Derby County man will likely be the backup goalkeeper again, regardless of whether it’s Griffiths or a new signing as the first choice. | Getty Images
3. Darnell Furlong
The right-back has been linked with a possible transfer away but Albion don’t have anywhere near enough depth on that side of defence. He could see out his contract and leave next summer instead. | Getty Images
4. Torbjorn Heggem
After scooping both player of the season awards, Heggem has gained widespread transfer interest. One of Albion’s main missions this summer should be keeping hold of the Norwegian. He’s pivotal. | AFP via Getty Images