A Wise Move? – West Brom Should Probably Sign Krychowiak On A Permanent Deal Come January
At the start of the summer there were plenty of gaps to fill in for West Bromwich Albion, and then Darren Fletcher’s surprise exit to Stoke City meant Tony Pulis had a bigger headache than he first thought.
An inspirational figure in the dressing-room with wealth of experience, Fletcher, 33, was indispensable to the West Brom squad. His departure suggested Pulis had the task of bringing in a player exactly of the Scotsman’s mould. It looked difficult, given a series of nagging injuries exposed just how worryingly thin the squad was.
Just when Pulis had given up the hopes of plugging the gap in midfield, in came the news of Grezgorz Krychowiak. Six players arrived in the summer, but Krychowiak’s signing from Paris Saint-Germain on a season-long loan meant shrewd business.
In a nutshell, it was monumental apart from the news on deadline day when it became evident that in-demand skipper Jonny Evans was staying.
Since arriving at Hawthorns, Krychowiak, 27, has settled into life in the Premier League very quickly. While his £108,000-a-week wages might be a bit too much for West Brom, in truest of senses, it is worth every single penny.
Now that the Pole has settled down magnificently in England, reports have started circulating that the midfielder could convert his loan stay at West Brom into a permanent one. This comes as massive news for the Baggies faithful and Pulis will be hoping to tie down Krychowiak to a permanent deal in January.
After helping Sevilla to two Europa League triumphs and coming off the back of an impressive Euro 2016 campaign with Poland, Krychowiak signed for PSG in a reported €30m deal which reunited him with manager Unai Emery after their exploits together in Andalucía.
The move was supposed to create havoc, this time at Parc des Princes, which would have seen Krychowiak as the ideal successor to the ageing Thiago Motta. However, PSG initially struggled to adapt to Emery’s methods and the midfielder failed to make a mark.
With Motta, Marco Verrati, Blaise Matuidi and Adrian Rabiot in PSG’s ranks, Krychowiak found himself down the pecking order. In all, the Polish international struggled to make much of an impact and featured only 11 times in the French capital. Failing to establish himself, it became apparent Krychowiak was going to leave PSG in the summer.
That’s when West Brom came calling, understanding the value of the Pole, as he seemed too good to spend time on the bench. Krychowiak also accepted the chance to play regularly and moved to Midlands with a view to revive his career.
Honestly, West Brom provides Krychowiak the perfect platform to resurrect his stuttering career. Since joining West Brom, the midfielder has done extremely well, playing every single minute in the Premier League. He has quickly become a crucial player for Pulis, who admires him saying,
“Krychowiak is an even better player than what he’s shown already. He’s really mixed in. His English is fantastic.”
Wherever Pulis has gone, he has emphasised in building a resolute defensive side. In Krychowiak, he has got a cultured defensive midfielder, protecting the backline at the Midlands. His combative and industrious style suits Premier League. While many doubted his move to the Hawthorns, the move gives him an opportunity to play more with freedom, unlike at PSG.
The former Sevilla man is a big, strong, robust midfielder with a never-ending engine. While his game-reading ability stands out, one cannot ignore his capability of changing a defensive situation into an attack in a blink of an eye. Krychowiak is a meticulously disciplined player, having a good range of passing. Honestly, the Polish midfielder is not blessed with pace and may lack dynamism, but there can be no questions over his work-rate and commitment on the pitch.
Any concerns attached with Krychowiak adapting to the Premier League has been answered in some style as the Pole has wasted no time in becoming a crowd favourite at West Brom. In Krychowiak, Pulis has got a warrior, ably suited to his style of play and ready to do everything on the field without a single complaint.
For pulling off a deal for Krychowiak and getting other deals done in relatively cheaper costs, Pulis deserves massive credit. The gaffer adapted to what he saw on the pitch, thus drifting away from British-based comfort zone to complete a successful transfer window. As much as anything else, Krychowiak’s arrival is a signal of just how successful the window was.
Pulis knows it’s just the start of the season and everything has gone well for him so far. Come January, it will be wise to get Krychowiak sign a permanent deal at Midlands, as bigger things beckon this season.