Report: West Bromwich Albion Set to Miss Out on Signing After “Formal Discussions”

The Baggies are set for a rebuild this summer, with several players heading for the exit door. Nathaniel Chalobah, Matt Phillips, Adam Reach, Yann M’Vila, Erik Pieters, and Martin Kelly have all left the club as free agents as the board aims to reduce the squad’s average age.

Apart from Phillips, none of these outgoing players were key first-team members under head coach Carlos Corberan, but their departures will still necessitate replacements to bolster squad depth. Despite the transfer window being open for a week, West Bromwich Albion has yet to make any signings.

Corberan is likely to remain at The Hawthorns for the 2024/25 campaign as Burnley, which had considered him as a potential replacement for Vincent Kompany, is nearing the appointment of former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy. This stability allows West Brom to proceed with strengthening the first team under Corberan’s leadership.

One player Corberan was keen to reunite with was Leeds United winger Ian Poveda, whom he had worked with during his tenure as assistant to Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road. However, these plans appear to be thwarted as the Sheffield Star reports that fellow Championship side Sheffield Wednesday has entered “formal discussions” with Poveda. He had spent the second half of last season on loan with the Owls.

It seems surprising that the 24-year-old winger would opt for a permanent move to Hillsborough over joining West Brom under his former coach and potentially contending for a Premier League return. Nonetheless, Poveda might be drawn to the project at Sheffield Wednesday under Danny Rohl and see it as his best chance for regular first-team football.

As a result, it’s back to the drawing board for the Baggies in their efforts to rebuild and strengthen the squad for the upcoming season.