According to The Sun, West Brom look to have won the race to sign Everton defender Mason Holgate on loan for the rest of the season.

Darren Moore looks to have beaten league leaders Leeds for the 22-year-old's signature and this may be a defining feature in the race for the Championship title.

The Baggies currently sit in the third place in the league, only 2 points behind second place Norwich and are in rampant form. However, an issue that has hung over the club throughout the season is the capabilities of their central defenders. Craig Dawson, Kyle Bartley and Ahmed Hegazi are all competent defenders,  but the first to have come under scrutiny regarding their ball playing ability.

Moore has rotated these defenders very well throughout the festive period and the entire season, but the addition of Holgate means the manager is getting one step closer to the playing style that he desires.

What makes this loan signing important as well is that it has deprived Leeds of a good signing in a position where they are perhaps even more desperate than West Brom. That only adds to be significance of the signing.

The Baggies are currently not in the greatest financial state,  meaning they could only really look at a loan signing in January. But as far as loan signings go, this would have exceeded Moore’s ambitions. The manager can now opt to play with 3 centre backs and feel comfortable that they can do a job.

This signing may be a defining moment in the Championship title race.