Under new owner Shilen Patel, West Brom will undoubtedly have a busy summer ahead of them. Carlos Corberan will undoubtedly be hoping that he has the money to bolster the team.
Despite the fact that Albion’s season ended in disappointment due to a loss to Southampton in the play-offs, the Spaniard has led the team to significant growth; since taking over, he has not added any players for a transfer price.
Corberan will be trying to assemble a team that can contend for automatic promotion next season after losing to Saints over two legs, but some significant choices will need to be made in the upcoming weeks.
West Brom facing huge player contract decisions
The likes of Kyle Bartley, Cedric Kipre, and Kyle Bartley ran out of contracts this summer, which put Albion in a difficult situation.
However, they will also be keeping an eye on next summer’s preparations in the upcoming weeks, since the Baggies now have 11 players whose contracts expire in a year.
No club wants to lose a player for no fee, so unless fresh terms can be agreed, some tough calls could have to be made.
Here we look at those who are set to leave West Brom on a free in 2025 at the moment…
Grady Diangana
The winger has had a mixed time of things since he made his move to Albion a permanent one back in 2020, but his talent is unquestionable, and Diangana did end the previous season with seven goals and eight assists.
He is one of the most valuable Albion assets in the squad, and there’s already been talk that he could be on the move as clubs look to take advantage of his contract situation. So, getting him tied down on a longer deal is sure to be a priority for Patel.
Darnell Furlong
Another first-team regular, Furlong didn’t miss a game for Corberan’s side as they reached the play-offs, and he also chipped in with five goals from right-back during what was an impressive individual season.
Once again though, his contract situation puts the club in an awkward position, and it has been claimed that they are ready to cash in to avoid losing Furlong on a free in 12 months, with the defender thought to be available for just £2m, which would seem to be on the low side.
John Swift
The attacking midfielder joined the Baggies in 2022 on a three-year deal on a free transfer, in a move that was seen as a real coup at the time.
Since then, Swift has gone on to score 15 goals over two seasons, and he has made some big contributions. However, he is yet another senior figure that Albion have allowed to enter the final 12 months of his deal going into the summer.
Okay Yokuslu
The Turkish international is a firm fans favourite due to his no-nonsense style and consistency in the middle of the park, and he is another who featured regularly, as he missed just two league games.
At 30, Albion may decide that they would get more value out of keeping Yokuslu around and risk letting him move on for free in 12 months, but their resolve may be tested this summer if they can’t agree a new contract.
Jayson Molumby
The Irish international endured some tough luck on the injury front that restricted the impact he could make last season, but the reality is that he wasn’t always in Corberan’s best XI anyway.
Nevertheless, at 24, Molumby is a player approaching his peak years, and he is another example of the mismanagement under Guochuan Lai that his value is running down as he enters the final year of his deal at The Hawthorns.
Brandon Thomas-Asante
The former Salford striker has proven to be a shrewd signing since he made the step up from League Two, even if he does lack the composure and finishing ability that Albion would want at times in the final third.
His hardworking style has caught the eye of other clubs, with Stoke believed to have shown an interest in the past, and others may be willing to make a move for Thomas-Asante unless he puts pen to paper on an extension at The Hawthorns.
Conor Townsend
Yet another first-team player on the list, the left-back was a regular under Corberan and did a steady job as part of what was a resolute West Brom defence.
At 31, Albion know he’s not the long-term answer in the role, so it will be interesting to see whether they are open to letting Townsend depart, or if he is offered a new deal that could keep him beyond 2025.
Semi Ajayi
The form of Kyle Bartley and Cedric Kipre meant that Ajayi didn’t play as much as he would’ve wanted last season, but those two are both out of contract this summer, and keeping Kipre in particular could prove to be a challenge given his performances.
Therefore, Ajayi may be someone that Albion want to offer a new deal, and at 30, the Nigerian international knows his next contract will be a big one in his career. Talks will no doubt take place, and a decision will have to be made by the club.
Josh Griffiths
The 22-year-old academy lad is highly-rated by West Brom, and he has had loan spells at Cheltenham, Lincoln and Portsmouth over the years to give him much-needed experience.
Unfortunately for Griffiths, Alex Palmer has been excellent as the number one, with no keeper recording more clean sheets than he did in the Championship last season. That means Griffiths is likely to have to move on to get the first-team football he will crave, making a sale this summer highly likely.
Caleb Taylor
The giant centre-back is another academy graduate who there are high hopes for, and he has had spells with Cheltenham and most recently Bolton out on loan, although he struggled for minutes with the latter.
With doubts over virtually all the centre-backs West Brom have right now, Taylor is sure to be given a chance to impress in pre-season, and a new deal could follow if he convinces Corberan he should be part of his plans moving forward.
Zac Ashworth
It’s a similar story with left-back Ashworth, who spent the season with the Trotters, making 16 appearances as they reached Wembley.
There has been talk he could go back to Bolton on a permanent basis, and Albion will realistically offload the defender if they don’t think he can make his mark on the first-team. But, like Taylor, he may be given an opportunity to show what he can do in pre-season.
