The Baggies’ 2023/24 campaign was one of relative success on and off the pitch, as the club saw a change in ownership through Shilen Patel’s takeover, with Carlos Corberan guiding the club to the Championship play-off semi-finals.
That was despite holding a squad that included a number of ageing players, of which many have been released, meaning that a transition in pre-season is needed at The Hawthorns.
Patel’s recent open letter to the Albion faithful proved that he and the Spaniard will look to be extremely savvy over the summer, which means that many shrewd transfers – such as Ousmane Diakhate on a free transfer – will need to be made, and there are plenty of those which could be acquired from within the EFL.
And with that being said, here are five of those from within the 72 who could move to B71 in the coming weeks.
Michal Helik
Despite their relegation to League One, Huddersfield Town’s squad still holds a number of adequate Championship-standard performers.
Michal Helik definitely falls into that category, and at the height of 6″2, the Poland international could be sourced as a replacement for Cedric Kipre, who has been linked with a move to Ipswich Town, Trabzonspor or RC Strasbourg amid the offering of fresh terms in B71.
Similarly to the Ivorian, the former Barnsley man is an imposing figure with an even greater goal threat, having netted nine of Town’s 48 strikes last season, as well as averaging more interceptions, tackles and clearances per game than Kipre.
There’s no doubt that Michael Duff will be hoping to utilise his services after missing out on such opportunities in League One, as the former Cracovia man moved across Yorkshire following the Tykes’ relegation in 2022.
However, this could make it slightly easier for an ambitious side like Albion to prize away the 28-year-old in the coming weeks.
Kwame Poku
Mikey Johnston was one man who set the Hawthorns’ stage on fire after his loan spell from SPFL champions Celtic last term.
But, with reports suggesting a £6m fee may be required to sign the Republic of Ireland international permanently, Albion should look to turn their attention to Peterborough United’s Kwame Poku.
Poku is one of the quickest wingers across the EFL, and has improved his end product massively since his previous spell in the Championship back in 2021/22, which included 11 goals, seven assists and the creation of 10 big chances in a side known for its attacking prowess.
The Ghanaian is currently under contract at the Weston Homes Stadium until 2026, and whilst Darragh McAnthony is notorious for driving hard bargains, a successful pursuit could leave Albion spending less money on a player of similar ilk to Johnston, as well as being three years his junior.
Ethan Laird
Defence is one area of this Baggies squad which could see big changes over the course of the next few weeks, despite it being such a strong point for the club last season.
However, it was reported just days after the play-off defeat at St Mary’s by Alan Nixon that the club would look to move Darnell Furlong on for a fee in the region of just £2m, with the former QPR man out of contract next summer.
Whilst no further reports surrounding this particular saga – which was said to have Premier League clubs on red alert – have come to light, Albion could look to West Midlands rivals Birmingham City for a potential replacement, in the form of Ethan Laird.
In what was a chaotic season for the Blues, Laird came out of it as one of few sources of positivity despite making just 25 appearances under an array of managers.
This included the accumulation of one assist, six clean sheets and the winning of 8.4 duels per 90 minutes, highlighting his style as a combative, but also creative outlet from the back.
At 22 years of age, this signing would also continue to bring the average age of Corberan’s squad down, whilst allowing the Manchester United academy graduate the chance to further enhance his potential at a side expected to challenge for the top six once again.
Charlie Cresswell
Corberan may look to utilise his previous connections with Leeds United to plot a necessary centre-back swoop, as Charlie Cresswell looks for a fresh start in his career.
The defender showcased his talent at this level with Millwall two seasons ago, and just like the previously mentioned Helik, was a great source of goals for the Lions from set-plays, netting four times in just 28 league appearances in South London.
Despite making such an impression, last season was one of immense frustration for the 21-year-old, who featured just five times for the Whites in the second tier under Daniel Farke, which led to interest as far back as last December from many Championship sides.
Since failing to gain promotion back to the Premier League, a number of players at Elland Road have been linked with moves away, and the 14-time England U21 international remains one of those, despite seeing a reported £3.8m move to Toulouse collapse.
Given the uncertainty that surrounds Kipre at this moment in time, this is a transfer saga West Brom should look to capitalise on to add further defensive depth.
Joe Gelhardt
Another man from the West Yorkshire outfit who could depart comes in the form of Joe Gelhardt.
The former Wigan Athletic man is in desperate need of a new lease of life, despite still being in the infancy of what was an extremely promising career, which could soon see the risk of stagnation if next season plays out in a similar vein.
Farke has been reluctant to call upon the 22-year-old’s services on a regular basis, with Mateo Joseph now in front of Gelhardt in the pecking order behind Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe.
Gelhardt made just 10 Championship appearances last term, and is at a stage where he needs regular first-team football, a prospect that doesn’t look guaranteed at all under the German’s management.
At present, Albion have the services of Brandon Thomas-Asante and Josh Maja to call upon in the striking department, as Daryl Dike remains sidelined until the end of the year with a ruptured achilles.
Thomas-Asante netted 11 times last season, whilst Maja remains an enigma in Blue and White after making just 12 appearances. Therefore, to add adequate depth and resurrect his own form, the acquisition of Gelhardt, even on loan as he’s under contract with Leeds until 2027, would be a potentially smart move on an initial six-month basis until Dike returns from his long-term layoff.
