Former England striker Kevin Phillips expects West Brom to sign a tailor-made replacement for goalkeeper Sam Johnstone in the summer transfer window.
The Lowdown: Johnstone on the move?
The 29-year-old has been a brilliant servant for the Baggies, standing out as one of his side's best players in recent years and earning a call-up to the England squad.
While West Brom have had a season to forget in 2021/22, Johnstone has again stood out at times, starting 36 Championship matches in total.
With the Englishman's contract expiring at the end of the season, it is widely expected that he will leave the Hawthorns, with Tottenham strongly linked with a move.
The Latest: Phillips expects replacement
Speaking to West Brom News, ex-Baggies man Phillips, who also works as a pundit for Sky Sports, admitted he expects a replacement for Johnstone to come in, even if it isn't necessarily a priority:
"I think there is enough there. There’s a statement to be made there, one top keeper goes out and you replace him with another one. It’s just whether you want to use the funds to strengthen in other areas, which I think, whoever in charge will probably do that.
"I’m sure they would look at another keeper to bring in if one fell in their lap, but I don’t think it will be a priority to get one immediately."
The Verdict: Signing must come in
In truth, not replacing Johnstone with an equally adept 'keeper would feel negligent by West Brom, given the influence that a top-quality stopper can have.
They can make a huge difference in a season, as the likes of Alisson and Ederson show at Liverpool and Manchester City, and the Baggies' current squad options are not at their current No.1's level. David Button hasn't started more than 20 league games in a season since 2017/18, for example.
It would be a huge surprise if West Brom trusted those playing second fiddle and it is imperative that someone of a similar standard to Johnstone comes in instead.
In other news, West Brom are set for talks with one player over a summer move. Read more here.