Why Karlan Grant would be an exciting signing for West Brom
According to Sky Sports (h/t Birmingham Live), Premier League newcomers West Brom have entered into negotiations with Huddersfield Town over a potential deal for striker Karlan Grant in the summer transfer window.
As per the report, the Baggies are on the lookout for new options to bolster their attack after securing promotion to the Premier League and have set their sights on the 22-year-old, who is rated at £16m by Huddersfield.
Grant had also been identified as a potential target by Albion boss Slaven Bilic back in January, but eventually ended up signing Kamil Grosicki from Hull City and Callum Robinson on loan from Sheffield United. (h/t Birmingham Live)
Profile
Born in Greenwich, Karlan Grant rose through the youth ranks of Charlton Athletic and made his professional debut in the Championship during the 2014-15 season.
The 22-year-old spent time on loan at Crawley Town and Cambridge United in League Two and before establishing himself in a more prominent role for the Addicks following their relegation to League One.
Grant was snapped up by Huddersfield Town in January 2019, and has since evolved into a prolific goalscorer. Having scored 4 goals in 13 Premier League appearances in the Terriers’ failed bid for top-flight survival, Grant took the Championship by storm in the previous campaign.
The former Charlton man plundered 19 goals and 4 assists in 43 league appearances for the Terriers last term. Those numbers are really impressive when you consider that Huddersfield spent large quarters of the season in the bottom half of the standings.
Why West Brom need him
West Brom scored 77 goals en route to their 2nd-place finish in the Championship last season, which was the joint second-best scoring record alongside champions Leeds United.
However, the Premier League represents a considerable step up, both in terms of quality and intensity, meaning that West Brom will need to strengthen their attack this summer if they are to boast a squad capable of thriving in the top-flight.
Charlie Austin and Hal Robson-Kanu both bagged 10 goals apiece in Albion’s promotion-winning campaign. The pair complemented creative genius Matheus Pereira brilliantly, and the Baggies have moved quickly to secure the Brazilian’s services on a permanent deal.
Now, with Kenneth Zohore expected to be moved on this summer after failing to impress Bilic last season, West Brom certainly need another striker to compete with the likes of Austin and Robson-Kanu for a spot in front of goal.
In fact, the Baggies should target another striker regardless of the presence of Austin and Robson-Kanu. Both players have ample PL experience under their belt but their recent track record in the top-flight has been less than impressive.
To put things into perspective, Karlan Grant could be a handy signing for West Brom, considering his tender years and prolific returns in the Championship last season.
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The 22-year-old is not completely new to the Premier League, having previously shown strong signs of promise at Huddersfield during the club’s days in the top-flight. Grant still has his best years ahead of him, so West Brom can hope for him to make significant improvements to his game and evolve into a quality striker in the Premier League.
Verdict
Suffice to say, West Brom need more depth and quality in their ranks to compete in the Premier League and Karlan Grant seems more than capable of doing a job for the Baggies next season.
