Three Alternatives For Charlie Taylor Who West Bromwich Albion Can Consider
West Bromwich Albion are set to lose out on key summer target Charlie Taylor, with fellow Premier League outfit Burnley reportedly in the driver’s seat for the signature of the left-back according to the Burnley Express.
The Baggies were keen on signing the Leeds United full-back whose contract with the Yorkshire based outfit will run out in a matter of days, but a failure to agree on a compensation fee for the 23-year old has allowed the Clarets to swoop in and establish themselves as the clear front-runners. Taylor made 32 appearances for the Whites over the course of the last season, registering 4 assists to his name.
West Brom manager Tony Pulis is intent on strengthening the left-back position, with an eye on improving on the club’s 10th-placed finish in the Premier League from last season. However, now that they are set to miss out on Taylor, here are three alternatives that the Baggies could consider signing.
Andrew Robertson
The Hull City left-back is on the radars of West Brom as per reports from the Birmingham Mail and he could turn out to be a shrewd addition for them.
Robertson is only 23-years-old but will bring in plenty of experience in the Premier League, with 57 appearances in the top-flight already under his belt for the Tigers, making him a better option than Taylor. Last season, he managed 39 appearances across all competitions for Hull, scoring one and setting up 3 more.
Good with the ball at his feet, possessing a keen eye for a pass and a set-piece specialist, the Scotland international is valued at £8million by the recently relegated club and a return to the top-flight will definitely appeal to him.
Kieran Gibbs
West Brom have been previously linked with a move for the Arsenal left-back and with him closer to an exit from the Emirates than he has ever been in the past, the time might be right for Pulis to act on the interest.
Gibbs, once again, found first-team minutes rationed, with Arsene Wenger preferring Nacho Monreal ahead of the Englishman. As a result, he was relegated to just making 22 appearances in all competitions, chalking up 5 assists to his name. Someone who has loads of top level experience and who has been a part of three FA Cup triumphs with the Gunners, he will add a lot of value to the Baggies’ ranks.
With the arrival of Sead Kolasinac at Arsenal earlier this month, it looks like the final nail in the coffin has been installed for Gibbs’ career with the North London outfit. With just a year left on his current deal, they will be looking to sell and West Brom should move in.
Ferland Mendy
The 22-year old left-back had an impressive season for the French club, in the Ligue2. He appeared for the club a total of 38 times, finding the back of the net on 2 occasions and setting up 5 for his teammates. A modern day full-back with plenty of pace, power and good end product to back it up with, Mendy has been likened to Benjamin Mendy of AS Monaco, due to his ability to charge up and down the left-flank all day long.
Many Premier League outfits have been monitoring the young French starlet. With just a year left on his current deal with Le Havre, a move away in the summer is definitely on the cards. With a price tag of £7million placed on him, West Brom should jump ahead and make this deal happen.