Brunt: Challenge now is to replace loan stars
THERE can’t be any complaints in how West Brom utilised the loan market during their two years back in the Championship.
Indeed, it’s fair to claim that achieving promotion itself was only possible because of the impact that those borrowed from other clubs – on the pitch and around the club in general.
Albion exploited opportunities to loan Grady Diangana in the summer and Callum Robinson in January – both from existing Premier League clubs – and, right up until the crucial final game against Queens Park Rangers, they were still contributing with goals and assists.
Indeed 12 months earlier, the Albion fanbase grew particularly fond of Dwight Gayle and Harvey Barnes, while Mason Holgate has spoken previously of how his own spell at The Hawthorns was key in his own development.
Someone that has played with all of the above, as well as Stefan Johansen, Jacob Murphy and Tosin Adarabioyo is the Baggies’ departing club captain, Chris Brunt.
He agrees that loan deals don’t always come off – look at Chris Willock and Jefferson Montero, for example – but when they do, they can prove to be masterstrokes, particularly in the Championship.
With Albion now planning ahead without those loan stars, the big challenge comes in replacing them – if Albion can’t get negotiate their returns.
“This year, and last season as well, I think we saw just how important loanees can be with Harvey Barnes and Dwight Gayle,” Brunt explained. “I think when you come out the Premier League, that is a big part of doing well in the Championship.
“If you use those loans properly it’s great, but then, obviously, at the end of the season how do you replace that if you can’t get a Callum Robinson or a Grady Diangana back?
“You have got to replace that but that is why the manager is paid to be the manager and why Luke Dowling is paid to be the technical director. “The impact they have around the place is also important too, and to be fair I think this season the manager and the recruitment staff have got that spot on and they got it spot on last season well.
“I think in seasons before we didn’t get that right and ultimately that cost us.”
As Albion were held by QPR, Robinson set up Diangana for the first goal, and then those roles reversed for the second.
All four loanees started the game, and all four were celebrating late into the evening having helped the Baggies seal promotion – but now the questions will inevitably come. Bar magical Matheus Pereira, who is the subject of an agreement between Albion and Sporting Lisbon, what becomes of the others?
Albion will pursue a permanent deal for playmaker Filip Krovinovic, whose future at Benfica is uncertain, but moves for Robinson and Diangana – of Sheffield United and West
Ham respectively – will prove a little trickier, for they’re direct Premier League rivals.
That didn’t stop Krovinovic himself from doing a bit persuading in plain sight!
He posted a photo of the Albion squad after Wednesday’s final whistle with the caption: “Don’t know about you, but I’m still celebrating .” Diangana responded: “I am too.” Krovinovic then asked: “gdiang are you signing for WBA??”
He did likewise when responding to Robinson: “CallumRobinson37 are you signing too?”