Why West Brom should avoid loaning out Cedric Kipre in January
According to Birmingham Live journalist Joseph Chapman, West Brom defender Cedric Kipre could be set for a loan exit from the Hawthorns when the transfer window reopens in January.
The 23-year-old only arrived at West Brom from Wigan Athletic in the summer but he could be on the move once again after struggling for regular game time under Slaven Bilic. Kipre has found himself below the likes of Kyle Bartley, Branislav Ivanovic, Semi Ajayi and Dara O’Shea, with the Ivorian yet to feature in the Premier League for the Baggies.
Profile
Cedric Kipre rose through the youth ranks of Paris Saint-Germain before departing for Leicester City in 2014. He represented the Foxes at U-18 and U-23 levels but never made a first-team appearance, spending time on loan at Corby Town in the English sixth-tier.
The 23-year-old eventually shot to prominence at Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership, registering 49 appearances in all competitions over the course of a productive 2017-18 campaign. Kipre returned to English football with Wigan Athletic in the EFL Championship and went on to feature 77 times for the Latics across two full seasons in the second-tier.
Kipre could still have a future at West Brom
Cedric Kipre had been one of the standout performers for Wigan in the Championship over the past two seasons. Therefore, it was seen as a real coup when West Brom took advantage of the Latics’ unstable financial situation to bring the Ivorian to the Hawthorns for a measly £900,000.
Kipre, though, has endured a tough start to life at West Brom. He has found his involvement restricted only to the Carabao Cup, with the centre-back yet to play a part in the club’s Premier League campaign.
The 23-year-old was named twice in the matchday squads for league fixtures against Everton and Chelsea before the international break but didn’t enter the field of play on either occasion.
Bilic has rotated the likes of Bartley, Ajayi, and Ivanovic at the heart of his backline, with youngster O’Shea remaining a utility option for the Croatian gaffer. The Baggies recently sanctioned an exit for Egyptian international Ahmed Hagazi to join All-Ittihad, evoking an angry reaction from the manager.
That’s pretty understandable given West Brom have looked far from convincing at the back, conceding as many as 14 goals in 6 PL outings so far. The Baggies need to improve significantly at both ends of the pitch if they are to survive in the top-flight and losing squad players certainly isn’t going to help their cause.
Kipre might have found himself out of favour early in the campaign but he will surely have a substantial role to play in the coming months. The current crop of defenders have all failed to make a massive impact, thus making the Ivorian’s presence in the ranks all the more crucial.
Bilic could be forced to rotate his squad and look at other options if the results do not improve soon enough. This is exactly where Kipre could come into play.
Read more
- Why West Brom should not make a move Troy Deeney
- West Brom hold talks to sign £900,000-rated defensive ace Cedric Kipre – A smart move by Bilic?
- Why Sheffield United must continue their pursuit of Oliver Burke
Verdict
Suffice to say, it would be simply ridiculous for West Brom to farm Cedric Kipre out on loan in January without even giving him an opportunity to prove his credentials in the Premier League. He definitely deserves a crack of the whip in the top-flight after excelling in the Championship and Bilic should retain him as a key squad option moving forward.
