Dragon Feeds
West Brom’s latest 23-year-old signing is capable of singlehandedly transforming their midfield for the better – Agreed?
West Brom Opinion: Filip Krovinovic’s arrival has handed a massive boost to the Baggies’ midfield
According to BBC, West Brom have completed the signing of Croatian midfielder Filip Krovinovic on a season-long loan deal from Portuguese heavyweights Benfica.
The 23-year-old becomes the Baggies first signing of the summer and also the first player to arrive at the Hawthorns since Slaven Bilic took charge at the helm of affairs last month.
West Brom are very much in the market for new signings after failing to secure a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Baggies made it all the way through to the semi-finals of the EFL Championship playoffs this past season, only for their hopes to come to an end with an agonising penalty-shootout defeat at the hands of Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
New manager Slaven Bilic has been tasked with getting the club back to the Premier League as soon as possible and the Croatian has a massive rebuilding on his hands, with quite a lot of players departing the club this summer.
West Brom have a massive void to fill at the back following the sale of Craig Dawson to Watford, while loanees Tosin Adarabioyo and Mason Holgate have returned to their parent clubs Man City and Everton respectively.
Rekeem Harper’s new contract is likely to bring a sigh of relief to the fans and Bilic alike but the Baggies are still very much under pressure to cope with the departure of long-standing midfielders Gareth Barry and James Morrison.
As far as the options up front are concerned, last season’s top-scorer Dwight Gayle has returned to Newcastle United, while Jay Rodriguez’s future at Hawthorns continues to be up in the air.
To sum it up, West Brom look set for a busy transfer window and they would probably need to bring in around six or seven players this summer to fill in all the aforementioned gaps.
Despite that, however, the arrival of Filip Krovinovic on loan should go a long way towards easing the tension at Hawthorns, as West Brom look to get their preparations underway for the upcoming campaign.
It is very much a possibility that the presence of Slaven Bilic played a big role in West Brom completing a deal for the 23-year-old playmaker.
Krovinovic found himself out of favour at Benfica this past season and made only 4 substitute appearances for the Primeira Liga champions, meaning that the prospect of furthering his development with more regular minutes under compatriot Bilic at Hawthorns is likely to have appealed to the player.
Krovinovic spent his formative years at Lokomotiva Zagreb, Dinamo Zagreb and NK Zagreb before signing a professional contract with the latter in 2013. The Croatian went on to register a total of 13 goals and 6 assists in 78 appearances for NK Zagreb before earning a move to the Portuguese top-flight with Rio Ave back in 2015.
The midfielder made only 9 league appearances in his debut season in Portugal but he played a more significant role in the following season after successfully adapting his game to match the requirements of playing in a tougher league.
Krovinovic impressed with 5 goals and 3 assists for Rio Ave in the 2016-17 campaign and his growing reputation prompted Benfica to snap him up in the summer of 2017.
Krovinovic, however, struggled for regular minutes due to stiff competition for places and after making 13 league appearances in his first season, the Croatian found his involvement limited to just 4 substitute appearances in the previous campaign.
A former youth international for Croatia, the 23-year-old has represented his nation at U-19 and U-21 levels.
To put things into perspective, West Brom still have plenty of work left to do in the transfer window but the acquisition of Krovinovic can be looked upon as a step in the right direction.
A technically-gifted central attacking midfielder, the Croatian is noted for his wonderful range of passing, dribbling skills and creativity, as well as his knack for creating spaces, which complements a deadly eye for picking out teammates in the final third with inch-perfect through balls.
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Krovinovic’s arrival has handed a significant boost to the Baggies midfield in terms of depth, quality and creativity, and Bilic apparently knows how to extract the best out of him in the Championship next season.
Indeed, he is a quality playmaker and the West Brom fans have reason to look forward to some moments of magic from their new signing when the next season gets underway.
West Ham Dragon
Estelle Cascarino Denied West Ham Debut After Referee Stops Her Over Earring Rule Violation
Estelle Cascarino was denied her West Ham debut on January 11, 2026 after referee Stacey Pearson refused permission to enter the pitch over a jewelry violation.
The 28-year-old France international was set to make her much-anticipated first appearance against Chelsea, but remained benched when the official spotted her earring covered in tape. Football Association rules state that all items of jewelry are forbidden and must be removed, with no allowances made for tape covering.
The Bizarre Touchline Incident
Cascarino stood waiting on the Kingsmeadow touchline as new West Ham manager Rita Guarino attempted to introduce her at the start of the second half with her team already trailing 4-0. Referee Stacey Pearson pointed out that Cascarino could not enter the field wearing the earring regardless of tape coverage.
The France defender looked perplexed as she spoke to Pearson while her teammates remained on the pitch. Cascarino required a doctor to remove the permanent inner-ear piercing, making it impossible for her to comply with the requirement immediately. West Ham confirmed she would be available for Friday’s FA Cup match against Newcastle United.
Expert Criticism and Confusion
Former England international Fara Williams criticized Cascarino’s oversight on The Women’s Football Show, describing it as a schoolgirl error from an experienced player wanting to make an impression. Williams noted that earrings used to be allowed with tape coverage in previous years but modern Football Association rules prohibit all jewelry without exception.
Former Wales defender Nia Jones called the situation an absolute circus, describing it as embarrassing for an elite international player from Juventus and PSG.
The Juventus Comparison
Rita Guarino expressed frustration after the 5-0 defeat, explaining that Cascarino played in Champions League competition with tape covering her earring at Juventus. The manager could not understand why this allowance existed in European competition but not within WSL regulations.
Cascarino had made 49 appearances during two and a half seasons at Juventus, helping them win the league title and Coppa Italia trophies. Her early experience at West Ham proved thoroughly overshadowed by an administrative regulation misunderstanding.
Manchester United officially recalled 19-year-old midfielder Emma Watson from her season-long loan at Crystal Palace on January 12, 2026.
The Scotland international was set to spend the entire campaign at the South London club but returned to her parent club at the halfway point.
Watson becomes the third Manchester United player recalled this January window following Evie Rabjohn and Keira Barry as head coach Marc Skinner strategically reshapes his squad depth for the title push ahead.
Crystal Palace Development Period
Watson joined Crystal Palace in August 2025 on a season-long loan after spending the previous campaign on loan at Everton. During her time at Palace, she made eight competitive appearances and scored two goals, including an assist against Sunderland in October.
She earned the TEN Player of the Month award following impressive displays throughout October when she scored a brace against Ipswich Town. Her performances demonstrated maturity and composure as she adapted quickly to senior football demands despite her young age and new surroundings.
Manchester United’s Strategic Recruitment Window
Watson returns to Carrington as Manchester United completed signings of Lea Schuller from Bayern Munich and Hanna Lundkvist from San Diego Wave.
The club aims to build squad depth across all positions for their title challenge and four-competition objectives. Watson made her Manchester United debut in November 2024 during a Women’s League Cup group-stage clash with Everton before scoring her first goal against Newcastle United in the same competition. An anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained while on international duty in September 2023 initially impacted her development but she has since returned to full fitness.
Uncertain Future Path
Manchester United has not confirmed whether Watson will feature in first team plans or could be sold to another club during the remainder of the January window. Her return provides Marc Skinner with attacking midfield options as United bid to challenge Manchester City for the league title while maintaining their Champions League and domestic cup ambitions.
Also read: After two-and-a-half years, Janice Cayman departs Leicester City for PSV
Arsenal Women host Manchester United on Saturday in a crucial six pointer for Champions League qualification. The Gunners sit just one point above United in the WSL table and victory at Emirates Stadium would give them a strong buffer, while defeat leaves them playing catch up in the race for Europe.
The match marks Arsenal’s return from the winter break following a busy week that saw Renee Slegers sign a new contract and Jodie Taylor promoted to Technical Director. However, the immediate focus is on securing three points against Marc Skinner’s side in what promises to be a tense encounter.
Kick-off: 12:30 GMT, Saturday, January 11, 2026
Venue: Emirates Stadium, London
TV: Sky Sports (UK)
Cooney Cross Absent For Personal Reasons
Arsenal will be without Kyra Cooney Cross who has returned to Australia for personal reasons. Daphne van Domselaar is not quite ready to return from a quad injury while Chloe Kelly remains out with a knee problem. Jenna Nighswonger will not be in the matchday squad as she negotiates a loan move.
New signing Smilla Holmberg from Hammarby will be in the squad alongside recalled goalkeeper Naomi Williams. Manu Zinsberger and Katie Reid are out with ACL injuries. The absence of Cooney Cross means Mariona will likely drop into the deeper midfield role she has occupied for much of the last year.
United Strengthened in January
Manchester United have been busy in the transfer window, adding full back Hanna Lundkvist from San Diego Wave and centre forward Lea Schuller from Bayern Munich. Skinner was dealt a poor hand over the summer with a very small squad handling Champions League qualifiers and the group phase.
Predicted Lineup:
Arsenal (4-3-3): Borbe; Fox, Williamson, Catley, McCabe; Little, Mariona, Maanum; Mead, Russo, Smith
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Tullis Joyce; Lundkvist, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Zigiotti; Park, Malard, Awujo; Schuller
Also read: Arsenal Women disable social media comments after sexist backlash to new signing
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