West Bromwich Albion will be an attractive place for most prospective players to join this summer, knowing the feel-good factor Carlos Corberan has helped to cultivate in the Hawthorns dressing room since joining as manager back in 2022.
The Spaniard has managed to get so much more out of a whole plethora of Baggies talents from the dug-out, including Alex Mowatt, who was a first-teamer week in, week out under Corberan last campaign, after once being chucked out on loan by former boss Steve Bruce.
Corberan could even end up signing the former Leeds United man an ideal partner to accompany him in the centre of the park this summer, softening the blow of Okay Yokuslu's expected departure in the process.
West Brom battling away to sign ex-Liverpool youngster
According to football journalist Pete O'Rourke, West Brom look set to battle it out with a divisional rival for the services of Oxford United midfielder Cameron Brannagan this transfer window.
O'Rourke has speculated that the likes of Blackburn Rovers are also keen to add the ex-Liverpool youngster to their roster before the close of the window next month, with Brannagan's stock at an all-time high, after he performed valiantly across Oxford's promotion success story last campaign.
The U's captain scored a decisive penalty away at Peterborough United in the League One play-off semi-finals to send his team to Wembley, and with only a year remaining on his current Oxford deal, as per O'Rourke, Des Buckingham's men could decide to cash in if the Baggies cough up an acceptable sum.
West Brom could be prepared to do that, if Yokuslu ends up making a move to Hull City a reality very soon, with Brannagan offering more steel to the central midfield positions in the West Midlands if signed, alongside bouncing off Mowatt's creativity.
What Brannagan would offer West Brom
As can be seen with this belting strike above against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup, Brannagan has been a reliable source of important strikes for the U's for many seasons now, with the ex-Reds man accumulating a staggering 290 appearances at the Kassam Stadium to date.
On the books at United since departing Anfield back in 2018, the 28-year-old has moulded himself into a very reliable performer in the EFL for his current employers, with 54 goals and 31 assists amassed across his long journey with the club.
Stat – per 90 mins*
Brannagan
Mowatt
Games played
43
43
Goals scored
12
2
Assists
9
5
Shots*
2.7
0.8
Touches*
68.9
65.2
Big chances created
6
4
Interceptions*
0.9
0.7
Tackles*
1.8
1.4
Ball recoveries*
6.7
4.7
Total duels won*
3.7
3.3
Sweeping the floor with his potential new teammate in many different aspects of their game, with a staggering ten more goals tallied up last season in regular league action, Brannagan could get Mowatt to come out of his shell and be even more expressive for the Baggies.
The Oxford star would also be able to competently replace Yokuslu's grit when glancing at the table above, with 6.7 ball recoveries averaged per match last season in League One showing off his energetic and battling nature away from his obvious attacking strengths, alongside his ability to successfully win duels like the in-demand Turkish midfielder.
It's no surprise, therefore, that Jurgen Klopp waxed lyrical about Brannagan's well-rounded skill set when he was still just a wide-eyed gem attempting to make it at Liverpool, describing the now 28-year-old back in 2015 as possessing "everything you need" in a midfielder.
His time with the Premier League titans would, unfortunately, come to a gutting end three years on from this lavish praise, but Brannagan could find himself playing top-flight football sooner rather than later if he joins West Brom, who could well be in and around the top spots in the Championship again next season.
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