West Brom looks set to miss out one player and also lose one of their first-team stars for free
West Brom look set to miss out on one of their reported transfer targets and lose a key player for nothing, according to reports.
Pete O’Rourke, the transfer correspondent for Football Insider, has reported that Cameron Brannagan has agreed a new long-term contract at Oxford United. The Baggies along with Blackburn Rovers were said to have held an interest, but the U’s have moved to tie him down to a new deal at the Kassam Stadium.
Despite his new deal, Blackburn might want to push hard for Brannagan, as clubs are sniffing around their talisman Sammie Szmodics. The 28-year-old who got 27 goals and four assists last season has been subject of two failed bids from Ipswich Town, and are holding out for £20m.
In West Brom’s case, they could sell Okay Yokuslu, but that might not cover what Oxford would demand for Brannagan. A transfer attempt for either club might be futile given Brannagan’s desire to sign a new deal.
The Baggies are also in danger of losing a player for absolutely nothing after his contract expired. Sky Sports is reporting that Cedric Kipre is ‘close’ to agreeing a deal with French side Stade de Reims. Clubs in England and in Europe had been interested in signing the centre-back, but Reims beat off competition to sign him. Sky Sports added that the deal should be finalised this week with WBA getting nothing.
The 27-year-old was signed from Wigan Athletic for just shy of £1 million but it took him time to settle in. He made just three appearances in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup before being loaned out to Belgian side Charleroi. Kipre returned in the summer but was limited to just 16 appearances in the following campaign, and then he was allowed to join Cardiff City.
Kipre had a successful spell at Cardiff, playing 43 times as he helped the Welsh side avoid relegation from the Championship. He returned to the Hawthorns reinvigorated and missed just two league games all term, but now after finally making a breakthrough in the Midlands, he has moved on and is returning to France after beginning his career with Paris Saint-Germain’s youth team.
