Jonny Drury raised an interesting point surrounding West Brom in an Express & Star opinion piece on Wednesday (10 January).
The journalist suggested that the off-field financial issues the Baggies have experienced have had one benefit at The Hawthorns.
Name, that the club have had to turn their hand to the club’s youth system. His example of this was Tom Fellows, who has been given a chance to be part of the first team this season.
He wrote: “You’d be hard pressed to find any beneficiaries of West Brom’s financial demise in recent years. But you could argue that there are players, certainly the talented youngsters coming through the club’s ranks, that are benefitting from it.
“The off field situation has led to Albion’s growing inability in recent seasons to remain at the Championship’s top table when it comes to transfers.
“You could argue that has forced Corberan and those at the club to look within, maybe more than they have previously had to do. And the main beneficiary of that situation at the moment, seems to be Tom Fellows.”
It is an entirely fair viewpoint. The only problem is that the ongoing lull in news regarding takeover talks has a pretty negative too. Funnily enough one that might hurt the club when it comes to Fellows.
Reliable Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano posted on X (10 January) to reveal he the 20-year-old forward is now the subject of reported interest from Premier League outfit Everton.
“Everton are monitoring 2003 born talent Tom Fellows at WBA over potential summer move, as he’s out of contract in June,” Romano wrote.
“He’s been excellent for WBA this season, also scored first goal in FA Cup. 777 Partners like the player and could consider to sign then loan Fellows.”
There is a sort of irony here that Everton’s own interest is likely borne out of their own financial issues and ongoing battle to stay within Financial Fair Play limits – hence casting an eye on a young prospect out of contract in six months.
For West Brom, what it does highlight is the need for speed now when it comes to takeover talks. Had a deal been wrapped up by now – or close to being wrapped up – it might have been that Fellows had already penned fresh terms.
As it is, Fellows – like the takeover talks – is in somewhat of a waiting game, one that might make him take a chance on a switch to the Toffees.
Drury’s colleague Lewis Cox spoke on the Express & Star’s Baggies Broadcast (4 January, 22:00) to offer a promising update.
“There’s encouraging, positive news in terms of things with the leading group bidders and prospective owners having moved forward and advanced with talks and really gathered pace, really advanced to a good place,” Cox said
“I know the club hope and want and I think everyone involved wants to wrap this up and get it towards if not over the line as soon as possible in January. They don’t want to be heading towards the end of the month or heading into February or anything like that.
“That’s not me saying that won’t happen, because these things are far from easy. But I think it has advanced at a good pace for what it is. We understand it’s a US group, led by a representative from a different country, with representatives over here, buying an English club, an English company owned by a Chinese individual group who are obviously on the other side of the world. It’s a complex matter. Not an easy thing to sort.
“But it’s moved at a good pace as far as I understand and I’m led to believe. Everyone hopes it won’t be too long now.”
But now, really, the pace needs to pick up even more. West Brom don’t want to see their best young talented getting plucked by other clubs.
