There are two soon-to-be free agents who could solve significant problems for West Bromwich Albion.

The Baggies are on the hunt for Championship play-off football for a second successive season - and the recent 2-0 win over Oxford United has bolstered those hopes - but Tony Mowbray isn’t without his problems at The Hawthorns.

Arriving mid-season was never going to be ideal for the new head coach but especially so given how tentatively Albion have had to tread in recent transfer windows. Concerns over the potential of breaching financial regulations have halted West Brom from being as competitive in the market as many of their rivals, leading to a host of problems.

Finishing in the top six is still a likely prospect given West Brom have lost so many fewer matches than the likes of Blackburn, Coventry, Bristol and Norwich but it’s not a certainty. And then the challenge of winning the play-offs themselves is a different kettle of fish with two of Leeds United, Sheffield United, Burnley and Sunderland effectively guaranteed to be competing in them.

Never say never, of course, but the odds are certainly stacked against the Baggies. If it’s the worst case scenario and another season in the Championship beckons, bolstering the squad will be a priority. With the pockets once again unlikely to be deep enough to properly compete, dipping into the free agents market could be a great way for Albion to plug necessary gaps.

West Brom could raid Aston Villa

There are 75 players in the Premier League with their contracts set to expire on June 30, so there are many options West Brom could consider. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kevin De Bruyne are obviously levels and levels above but there are probably around a dozen players who could become realistic targets.

For the sake of this article, we’ve analysed the list and picked two of the players we reckon West Brom could lure to The Hawthorns. There are two big issues in the squad, after all; Albion lost goalkeeper Alex Palmer to Ipswich Town in January and there’s a noticeable lack of depth on the left side of defence.

A short trip down the road could be in order for a goalkeeper from local rivals Aston Villa as Sweden international Robin Olsen’s current deal expires in just a few months’ time. The 35-year-old may have only racked up 19 Villa appearances in the past four seasons - owing to Emi Martinez’s dominance between the sticks - but he’s had lots of experience at a host of top clubs.

Olsen, who made a name for himself at Swedish top-tier side Malmo and Danish outfit Copenhagen between 2012 and 2017, has been at the highest level for much of his career. Albeit a backup in recent seasons for Villa, Sheffield United and Everton, the shot-stopper was a regular starter in the Italian Serie A for AS Roma and Cagliari before that.

Albeit probably not good enough to start for West Brom if they were to be promoted to the Premier League, Olsen would be a superb option in the Championship – especially as he wouldn’t cost a penny to sign. His experience and advice could help Josh Griffiths to develop under his wing, too.

Albion should target Forest star

The second shock swoop West Brom could make is for Nottingham Forest’s Harry Toffolo, who has been rather out of sorts at the City Ground this season. The 29-year-old, predominantly a left-back but also capable of playing at left midfield or even centre-back, has had to play third fiddle to Neco Williams and Alex Moreno.

Toffolo signed for Forest in 2022 after two seriously impressive seasons with Huddersfield in the Championship. The 29-year-old was one of the best players in the English second tier in 2021/22, scoring six goals and making seven assists as the Terriers went on a charge to finish third under Carlos Corberan.

But having been defeated in the play-off final at Wembley, Toffolo went on to sign for the team that beat Huddersfield. Forest persuaded the versatile defender with the promise of Premier League football but he’s been merely a squad utility option for his two and a half years at the club to date.

With his contract up this summer and with no sign of a renewal, Toffolo will be available to sign for free. West Brom could swoop in - and they probably should - as Toffolo can compete effectively with Callum Styles in the left-back position. Gianluca Frabotta hasn’t been a success in the position and Toffolo has both the experience and quality to help Albion compete for promotion.