HighlightsWest Bromwich Albion managed to retain most of the first team players despite financial constraints and did well to keep keeper Alex Palmer, who rejected an offer from Luton Town.
Grady Diangana, who has reportedly attracted interest from several clubs including Burnley, Leeds United and Leicester City, has remained at West Bromwich Albion despite rumors he was open to offers.
Despite expectations for Diangana to leave, it is no surprise that he is still at the club given his performances since he finally signed and the limited number of clubs willing to pay his valuation.
This article is part of Football League World’s Terrace Talk series, featuring personal opinions from our FLW fan experts on the latest news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
West Bromwich Albion didn’t have the most active summer in the transfer window, but it was more about keeping the team together after the parachute payments ran out.
The Baggies may have done well not to lose as many first-team players as they might have lost last summer, with Dara O’Shea the only significant permanent departure for Burnley.
Goalkeeper Alex Palmer, who joined the first team last season to replace David Button in goal, has been the subject of offers from Luton Town but the stopper rejected the chance to move to Kenilworth Road.
One player who could have left Albion this summer but didn’t leave was Grady Diangana, who the club were reportedly open to offers for.
In September 2020, Diangana signed a permanent five-year contract with The Hawthorns following his previous successful loan spell, in a deal that could ultimately have been worth £18 million.
This means the 25-year-old has just under two years left on his current terms, but the winger has failed to reach the heights expected from that move, which could be why Albion would have sold at the right price.
The Express & Star claimed last month that Burnley, Leeds United and Leicester City were all interested in Diangana, and there was also interest from Saudi Arabia at the time.
A price of £7 million was advertised, but the September 1 transfer deadline has come and gone with Diangana still part of Carlos Corberan’s squad.
Diangana has only made one appearance for Albion so far this season after undergoing foot surgery in the summer, and that was in a brief cameo against Huddersfield Town on 2 September.
The striker born in the Democratic Republic of Congo will now have to try to force his way back. in Corberan’s starting XI, if he can.
“Am I surprised that Grady Diangana is still a West Brom player? I would say so,” Matt told Football League World.
“This is because there were many murmurs, rumors and whispers in the club this summer that we were looking to sell perhaps our greatest asset of monetary value.
“This is obviously up for debate and probably not true, but it seemed like we really wanted to get rid of him and he wanted to escape.
“Putting these two factors together I would have expected him to leave, even if in reality he hasn’t done anything since he finally signed a few years ago, but even in this case we would have to consider who would want him.
“Of course there will be clubs, but who would want him for around €4-5 million? There will only be a select number of Championship and Premier League clubs who can afford that price.
“Luton probably couldn’t do it, but do any of these clubs want to take a gamble on someone who has been poor for the last three or four years?
