West Brom struck the transfer lottery with this talented attacker, who they signed for £300,000.

West Bromwich Albion will look to maintain a promotion push back to the Premier League at the third attempt.

The Baggies have had their fortunes transformed since the arrival of Carlos Corberan back in October 2022, with the Spaniard taking the Black Country from the foot of the second tier table to play-off contention last campaign.

Albion continue to fight towards the top end of the division this term under the former Huddersfield Town coach, with the West Brom supporters dreaming of top flight football once again.

One player who has contributed significantly to Albion’s rise up the table under Corberan is Brandon Thomas-Asante, who was one of a number of summer arrivals under the tenure of Steve Bruce from Salford City.

The 25-year-old linked up at the Hawthorns for a reported fee of £300,000 in August 2022, and it’s fair to say he’s performed well above that figure during his stint in the Black Country so far.

Brandon Thomas-Asante’s numbers at West Brom

Thomas-Asante has made the step-up between two divisions with ease and demonstrated his qualities in front of goal with an acrobatic equaliser on his debut against Burnley. The forward would net a penalty in his next involvement in a West Midlands derby defeat to Birmingham City.

The Ghanaian would go on a 10-match run without a goal in between the departure of Bruce and arrival of Corberan, before scoring a goal of the season contender against Stoke City, as well as netting eye-catching strikes against Rotherham United and Bristol City heading into 2023.

Thomas-Asante was firmly thrown into the deep end for the final portion of the campaign, as Daryl Dike was ruled out with a long-term injury and the goalscoring form of Karlan Grant had deserted the team.

The Milton Keynes-born forward would go on to score just twice from the final 10 Championship outings as Albion narrowly finished outside the top six, but Thomas-Asante had given a superb account of himself considering the step-up in class.

In his second season at the Hawthorns, Thomas-Asante has continued to impress with his performances in front of goal with Corberan at the helm, recording double figures for goals in all competitions in a blue and white shirt.

Thomas-Asante has largely led the line on his own again due to the continued absence of Dike and ankle injuries to recruit Josh Maja.

The frontman enjoyed a productive spell in front of goal between December 2023 and January 2024, notching five strikes in eight Championship appearances against Sunderland, Stoke City, Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers.

West Brom’s investment in Brandon Thomas-Asante has paid off

Considering the minimal fee spent by the Baggies in a troubling financial situation, Thomas-Asante has been a prized asset to the Albion frontline and kept them towards the top of the Championship table with his consistent level of goalscoring.

Thomas-Asante has remained a key component in Corberan’s system, with his tenacious work rate and clinical eye for goal two invaluable qualities he’s added to the playing squad since joining.

Since his rise up to the second tier, the 25-year-old has been linked with moves to multiple Championship outfits, with his ability to settle into life in B71 with such ease catching the eyes of several suitors.

Matty Phillips is back in training for the Baggies, and could prove influential in the Championship run-in

This was a massive gamble signing for Albion to complete, but such a shrewd acquisition has the potential to reap the financial rewards later down the line if he can keep up this level of improvement.

However, Albion are sure to want to keep hold of their starlet for now in order to have a chance of delivering success to the Baggies faithful.

West Brom should continue their approach of recruiting players from the lower divisions, with the example of Thomas-Asante showcasing that talented players from League One and Two can make the leap if given the opportunity to do so.

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