West Bromwich Albion will be looking to bounce back from their recent poor form in the Championship, having won only once in their last five matches in the second tier. They face a tough challenge against title-contenders Leicester City this Saturday.
Leicester City themselves have been struggling lately, which could give West Brom an opportunity to capitalize on their downturn in form. The upcoming match at the King Power Stadium could have significant implications for the title race as it nears its conclusion next month.
Tom Fellows, despite having a quiet game against Sunderland in the last outing, could prove to be a key player for Carlos Corberan’s team against Leicester. The 21-year-old is seen as a promising talent for West Brom.
On the other hand, an older winger’s time at West Brom might be coming to an end this summer. With his contract expiring and his value dropping below that of Fellows, it suggests a potential exit for the experienced player from the club.
Matt Phillips’ future at West Brom
Matt Phillips, who was once bought for a significant £6 million during West Brom’s Premier League era, has seen his value decrease substantially as he approaches 33 years old.
This season has been particularly frustrating for the experienced attacker due to multiple injury setbacks, causing him to miss the latter part of 2023 and the beginning of 2024. Despite returning to the side recently, Phillips has struggled to regain his form consistently.
While he has shown glimpses of his ability with three goals and three assists in 23 appearances, his performances have been inconsistent. The emergence of young talents like Fellows, who have performed well in Phillips’ absence, along with the impressive performances of loanee Mikey Johnston, have cast doubt on Phillips’ future at West Brom.
With his contract expiring in the summer, there’s a possibility that West Brom might lose Phillips without receiving a transfer fee, marking the end of his distinguished tenure at the club.
Even with his transfer value taking a significant tumble since joining for £6m eight years ago, this would be a major blunder on West Brom’s behalf to see him walk out of the building for nothing.
Matt Phillips’ transfer value in 2024
In 2024, Phillips’ value has dropped significantly to €1 million (£853,000) as reported by Football Transfers. In contrast, breakout star Fellows now commands a higher value at €1.4 million (£1.1 million) despite only emerging onto the scene this season.
Fellows, a homegrown talent for the Baggies, has also outperformed Phillips in terms of statistics for the season. This is partly due to Phillips’ frequent injuries, as Fellows has managed to score five goals and provide four assists in 34 games across all competitions, surpassing Phillips’ contributions.
The future looks bright for Fellows in a Baggies strip, whilst Phillips looks to be staring his exit from the club straight in the face as Corberan looks to potentially clear out a number of the more veteran members of his squad soon.
Adam Reach, Erik Pieters and Yann M’Vila to name a few all come in as being 30 years and older like Phillips, with that trio all out of contract in the summer as well.
| Out-of-contract West Brom players – 30 years and older | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Age | Contract end date |
| Adam Reach | 31 | June 2024 |
| Erik Pieters | 35 | June 2024 |
| Martin Kelly | 33 | June 2024 |
| Yann M’Vila | 33 | June 2024 |
| Sourced by Transfermarkt | ||
It seems highly probable that there will be a removal of these senior figures soon, particularly given the departure of Phillips which is particularly painful as the winger, who earns £20,000 per week, has enjoyed a lengthy and illustrious career in the West Midlands.
However, considering Fellows’ potential for improvement, this decision might be justified even though it’s a difficult one to make.
GET MORE NEWS HERE
Leave a Reply