FLW looks at four occasions where West Bromwich Albion made a blunder in the transfer market.
West Bromwich Albion are currently in the middle of the Championship table, and Carlos Corberan’s team is attempting to reclaim their spot among the top six teams in the lower division despite a protracted period of time.
If they were to reach the Premier League again in the not too distant future, then this group of players would more than endear themselves to the Hawthorns faithful, just as many great players have done before them.
However, as is the case with any club in the EFL, The Baggies aren’t immune to their own disasters in the transfer window and Football League World looks back at four times they got it drastically wrong.
Karlan Grant
This may feel like a surprise inclusion, but taking into account the estimated £15m fee on a six-year contract, it’s fair to say that the money spent on Karlan Grant isn’t really justifiable from the Albion hierarchy’s point of view.
Grant struggled for form in the Premier League as the club were instantly relegated, scoring one goal in 21 appearances. The following campaign would be the only time the former Huddersfield man has hit a relatively strong vein of form as he scored 18 times in 44 games despite Albion’s disappointing 10th place finish.
Georgios Samaras
The Greek international and former Celtic cult hero Georgios Samaras joined the club in the summer of 2014 under the management of Alan Irvine.
Despite his creative exploits north of the border, the then 29-year-old failed to stake a regular spot in the starting lineup under Irvine and his replacement, Tony Pulis.
All of his appearances for the club came as a substitute and in February 2015 he would join Al-Hilal on loan, before terminating his contract in the summer of 2015, despite having a further year left to run on his deal.
Markus Rosenberg
The Swedish striker moved to the Hawthorns in the summer of 2012 after being released by Werder Bremen, but his time in the West Midlands won’t be remembered with any fondness by the supporters.
He would find himself playing second fiddle to the likes of Shane Long that campaign, but still managed to make 24 appearances in the Premier League, contributing just two assists and no goals.
Despite being made available to leave, Rosenberg stuck around at the beginning of 2013/14, but made just six appearances. It was clear the writing was on the wall and he would terminate his contract in February 2014.
Kenneth Zohore
Zohore joined the club for an estimated £8m fee in July 2019 as Albion bid farewell to the likes of Salomon Rondon and Jay Rodriguez, but the Dane would hardly justify the price tag.
Whilst Albion would eventually end the season promoted under Slaven Bilic, Zohore’s impact on their second place finish when taking the fee into account was minimal, featuring just 17 times in the Championship and scoring only three goals.
Although he would remain contracted to Albion until January 2023, the striker played just twice more for the club, with a loan spell at Millwall also not going to plan in the 2020/21 campaign.
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