Can Jefferson Montero help West Brom finish at the summit of the Championship
West Bromwich Albion under manager Darren Moore are having the time of their life in the Championship, with the Baggies currently sitting just seven points behind leaders Norwich City with just 17 games left. They need all the help they can get, and as such Moore has used the winter transfer window effectively – adding depth where required.
The Baggies have signed the likes of Jacob Murphy, Stefan Johansen, Mason Holegate and Jefferson Montero, four stars who should help them going forward in this season. However, the question on many West Brom fans’ lips is can former Swansea City flop Montero make a difference for them?
The 29-year-old winger struggled this season for the Welsh side, and despite making 12 appearances, he didn’t score a goal.
His time with the Welsh side was inconsistent and lacking final ball quality more often than not. However, that’s always the way it has been with Montero, and while he doesn’t score too many goals, the 29-year-old offers other avenues of attack and creativity going forward. His pace and composure on the ball make him a tricky customer, and that combined with his vision does make him a valuable asset.
Montero made a massive impact in his last game for Swansea City despite coming off the bench. He set up two goals in a 3-3 draw against Birmingham City. That’s been his only contribution for them this season and his sheer presence on the pitch could be crucial to Darren Moore’s side.
At the moment, the Baggies have only Jacob Murphy, Chris Brunt, Hal Robson-Kanu and Matt Philips as the options in wide areas. Brunt is not likely to be a regular option at 34. And while Murphy will hope to recover his career on the right-hand side, the left is Montero’s to lose. The 29-year-old can certainly make an impact there.
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However, what could prove to be a big factor for Montero is the fact that Darren Moore has somehow managed to revive the careers of Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle. He could do the same to the on-loan Swansea star. But that is up to the 29-year-old, who needs to step up and prove himself worthy of being in a team chasing a promotion spot.
