Several clubs were keen on Baggies winger Grady Diangana this summer, but he remains in Carlos Corberan’s squad
West Bromwich Albion managed to keep most of their first-team players despite their financial constraints and did well to retain goalkeeper Alex Palmer, who rejected an offer from Luton Town.
Grady Diangana, who reportedly had interest from several clubs, including Burnley, Leeds United, and Leicester City, remained at West Bromwich Albion despite rumors of him being open to offers.
Despite expectations that Diangana would leave, it is not surprising that he is still with the club given his performance since signing permanently and the limited number of clubs willing to pay his valuation.
West Bromwich Albion didn’t have the most active of summers in the transfer window, but it was more about trying to keep their squad together after their parachute payments ran out.
The Baggies perhaps did well to not lose as many first-team players than they could have done this past summer, with Dara O’Shea being the only significant permanent departure to Burnley.
Goalkeeper Alex Palmer, who came into the first-team last season to usurp David Button from in-between the sticks, was the subject of bids from Luton Town, but the stopper turned down the opportunity to move to Kenilworth Road.
One player that could have but did not depart Albion this summer though was Grady Diangana, who the club were reportedly open to offers for.
What is Grady Diangana’s current West Brom situation?
Back in September 2020, Diangana penned a permanent five-year contract at The Hawthorns following his previous successful loan stint, in a deal that could have eventually reached £18 million.
That means that the 25-year-old has just under two years remaining on his current terms, but the winger hasn’t hit the expected heights though since that switch, which is perhaps why Albion would have sold for the right price.
The Express & Star claimed last month that Burnley, Leeds United and Leicester City were all keen on Diangana, and there was also interest from Saudi Arabia in that time as well.
A £7 million price-tag was touted, but the September 1 transfer deadline came and went with Diangana still a member 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 came in a brief cameo against Huddersfield Town on September 2 – the DR Congo-born forward will now have to try and force his way back into Corberan’s starting 11 if he can.
Is it surprising that Grady Diangana is still a West Brom player?
FLW’s Baggies fan pundit Matt Smith is not shocked whatsoever that Diangana remains at The Hawthorns following the closure of the transfer window,
“Am I surprised that Grady Diangana is still a West Brom player? I’d say I am,” Matt said when speaking to Football League World.
“That’s because there were a lot of murmurs and rumours and whispers around the club this summer that we wanted to sell arguably our biggest assets of monetary value.
“That 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 go as well.
“If you put those two factors together, I’d have expected him to go, although he’s done nothing really since signing permanently a couple of years ago, but even then you’d have to think who would want him.
“Of course there will be clubs out there but who would want him for the valuation of around £4-5 million? There’s only going to be a select number of Championship and Premier League clubs that can pay that price.
“Luton probably couldn’t, but do any of those clubs want to gamble on someone that has been poor for the past three or four years?
“So, am I surprised no-one has wanted him? Not really.”
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