West Bromwich Albion fans will want Carlos Corberan to put together another promotion push from the sidelines next season, with positivity still in the air at the Hawthorns, despite a play-off semi-final exit last campaign.
Spirits have been lifted in the West Midlands as a result of both Alex Mowatt and Kyle Bartley extending their stays at West Brom, after very real fears they’d walk away for nothing this summer, with the pair in question solid and dependable first-team performers under pressure.
Still, there will be a concern that another reliable head in the West Brom camp could leave this summer, in the form of Okay Yokuslu, who has many a suitor eyeing him up now after the Turkish midfielder had a fantastic 23/24 campaign.
Okay Yokuslu’s 23/24 season in numbers
The West Brom number 35 is being courted by Beskitas at this moment in time, according to reports in his homeland. That comes off the back of consistently delivering top-drawer performances for Corberan’s men.
Yokuslu only missed two games of the entire regular Championship season, forming a feared holding midfield duo with the aforementioned Mowatt along the way, with the 30-year-old offering more of a bite in these positions than his ex-Leeds United counterpart, making 4.9 ball recoveries on average per game in the league.
The popular Baggies midfielder also proved his worth when it came to venturing forward occasionally, bagging a fiercely hit strike against Huddersfield Town in March, alongside very rarely squandering possession as a calm passer of the ball in tight areas, with an 87% pass accuracy managed per contest as well.
Having played in the centre of the pitch this summer for overachievers Turkey at Euro 2024, reaching the quarter-finals, he will no doubt have even more eyes on him.
It will be a real gut punch, therefore, for Corberan and Co if they were to lose their reliable number 35 this summer, knowing that it could prove to be difficult to replace Yokuslu with a similarly forceful and experienced head.
This could even end up being another Youssouf Mulumbu situation from a Baggies point of view. Another star from a midfield position, he exited for Norwich City in 2015 in heartbreaking fashion after notching up 211 appearances as a beloved figure
Yokuslu’s transfer value in 2024
While Mulumbu did depart on a free transfer to the Canaries, Yokuslu could still give West Brom an opportunity to pocket a pretty penny, when looking at his estimated valuation.
Yokuslu, who was purchased for nothing back in 2022, is now worth in the region of £2.8m according to Football Transfers, with there being a possibility that the Albion star could become the club’s next Mulumbu over time if he stays, adored for being a battling and tough presence.
Yet, with his contract up next year, the recruitment team won’t want to be riddled with anxiety that the in-demand 30-year-old could leave for zilch as well, with the potential to cash in now getting more and more tempting, especially when you consider his value is higher than that of Grady Diangana’s currently.
Diangana’s decreased value of £1.5m means he now is some way off the top five most valued assets at the Hawthorns, as per the table above, despite registering seven goals and eight assists last campaign.
West Brom will have their worries that Yokuslu could also see his hefty value fall over time too, but will pray they can keep a firm grip on their star if they can, as another Championship promotion push is attempted.
