Unsurprisingly, after such a disappointing Championship campaign, West Bromwich Albion are now going full steam ahead to get rid of some declining stalwarts.
Indeed, the recent retained list revealed that both Semi Ajayi and John Swift would be allowed to walk away from the Hawthorns for nothing this summer, alongside the enigmatic Grady Diangana also being released upon his contract expiring in June.
Whilst both Swift and Ajayi had become part of the furniture at the West Midlands outfit, the loss of Diangana will hurt just that little bit more, considering the Congolese forward had fired home seven goals during the 2023/24 season that saw the Carlos Corberan-led Baggies narrowly miss out on promotion.
However, after only averaging 44 minutes of league action this season, the decision was made to axe the hot-and-cold 27-year-old, with these three transfer targets now perhaps on the West Brom shopping list to try and fill Diangana’s void.
1 Kwame Poku
Kwame Poku’s name is being talked about in all sorts of rumour mills with West Brom’s near neighbours Birmingham City reportedly very keen on adding the Peterborough United superstar to their roster.
The Baggies have previously been keen themselves, and with Diangana now gone, this could mean a move is reignited for an attacker who has regularly made League One his playground, starring for Darren Ferguson’s men.
In 2024/25 – despite injury curtailing large portions of his campaign – Poku managed to pick up a blistering 12 goals and eight assists in league action from only 25 starts, meaning he could be ready for a jump-up in quality to test himself more.
Capable of playing down either flank or through the middle like Diangana, he might well be the perfect fit for the Baggies too as they begin to navigate life without their long-standing servant.
2 Jamie Donley
The second-tier giants could also go down the loan route to try and replace Diangana, with plenty of rumours linking the West Midlands side with a loan move for Tottenham Hotspur starlet Jamie Donley.
After all – much like Poku and Diangana – Donley’s versatile nature means he can line up all over the attacking positions as a main striker, as a number ten or as a winger, alongside the fact he has already proven himself in the EFL’s mean leagues on the books of Leyton Orient.
Games played
39
Goals scored
8
Assists
10
Shots*
1.4
Key passes*
1.6
Big chances missed
4
Big chances created
17
Away from offering goals aplenty if he were to join the growing West Brom ranks – seen in his eight League One goals across a sublime 2024/25 – he would also be able to gift the managerless Baggies another bright, creative outlet, with his ten assists another standout statistic from the table above.
If the 20-year-old forward was to set the Championship alight in a similar manner, any lingering woe surrounding Diangana’s exit would be put to bed.
3 Tom Lawrence
Lastly, instead of relying on a youngster to come good, West Brom could instead look to bring in a former seasoned head at the level in Tom Lawrence to try and fill the Diangana-shaped hole.
After all, the second-tier underperformers, who have been interested in the 31-year-old’s services previously, would be able to add Lawrence to their camp for free, with the Wrexham-born ace now without a club after leaving Rangers.
After all, whilst Diangana was performing to the peak of his powers at the Hawthorns, the EFL veteran was shining equally as bright for former side Derby County, with the Welshman closing out his stay at Pride Park by registering a bumper 37 goals and 25 assists from 185 clashes.
With six strikes under his belt this season too in Scotland, he could still have plenty to give West Brom as they aim to be within the promotion positions again.
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