Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Fulham - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - September 16, 2022 Nottingham Forest's Lewis O'Brien celebrates scoring their second goal with Sam Sturridge REUTERS/David Klein EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
West Bromwich Albion are interested in signing both Lewis O’Brien and Nathaniel Chalobah in the January transfer window, according to reports on Sunday morning.
The Lowdown: West Brom looking good for play-offs
The Baggies have recovered from a disastrous start to the season in the Championship, with Carlos Corberan changing their fortunes after the exit of Steve Bruce in the autumn.
West Brom now sit 10th in the table and are only one point off the play-offs and their recent form suggests that they could rise further up the division in the coming months.
New signings may be required for that to become more likely, though, and an intriguing reports has emerged in the morning hours.
The Latest: O’Brien and Chalobah in talks with West Brom
According to The Mail on Sunday [via West Brom News], Albion are in discussions to sign both O’Brien and Chalobah before the transfer deadline on Tuesday night.
The duo are currently in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest and Fulham respectively, but neither have been regular presences at those clubs and could be allowed to leave this month.
The Verdict: Could be a great double coup
If the Baggies were able to bring in O’Brien and Chalobah, it would have the potential to be game-changing in their promotion push, considering the quality they both possess at Championship level. They have only made a total of seven starts in the Premier League between them this season (O’Brien six, Chalobah one) and could be itching to feature more prominently elsewhere.
Although things aren’t working out for them in the top flight, the former started 46 Championship games for Huddersfield Town last term, averaging 2.1 tackles per game as they reached the play-off final, while the latter has 142 appearances to his name in the second tier and has been promoted from the division with Watford and Fulham in the past two years.
O’Brien and Chalobah could provide stiff competition in the middle of the park at West Brom for the likes of Okay Yokuslu and John Swift, giving Corberan the depth to rotate his squad and keep players fresh as the game comes thick and fast in the final four months of the campaign.
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