West Brom supporters in the Transfer Tavern are somewhat optimistic about their club’s future following the appointment of Darren Moore as the permanent manager at the Hawthorns last month.
The former centre back took over on a caretaker basis from the sacked Alan Pardew back in April, and was tasked with the impossible job of trying to keep the plummeting Baggies in the Premier League. Yet the 44-year-old almost did just that by winning three and drawing two of his six matches in charge of the Midlands outfit, although they were indeed relegated to the Championship with just 31 points from their 38 league matches.
Nonetheless, Moore brought a feel-good factor back to West Brom during his short stint as caretaker, and our resident Baggies are hoping for more of the same next term in their bid to secure an immediate return to the top-flight.
And their chances of doing just that would no doubt be helped if they re-sign Matej Vydra this summer, what with the £7.2 million-rated ace star (as per Transfermarkt) having been linked with a move away from Derby County.
The Czech Republic international spent the entirety of the 2013/14 campaign on loan at the Hawthorns but in that time struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, netting just three times in 23 league appearances for the Baggies.
However, what cannot be questioned is his prolific goal-scoring rate at Championship level, what with the 26-year-old having scored 65 goals in 187 appearances in the second tier, breaching the ten-goal mark in three of his five campaigns at that level.
And having finished as the division’s top goal-scorer this time round, netting 21 times for Gary Rowett’s Derby, Vydra continues to produce the goods at Championship level, and as such would undoubtedly be a huge asset to Moore and his West Brom side in their bid for an immediate Premier League return.
Salomon Rondon is expected to leave the club this summer amid reported interest from several Premier League sides, while Jay Rodriguez’s efforts in the latter stages of the season could earn him a move away as well – ultimately, West Brom could be short on striking options.
And while some of our resident Baggies fans are concerned given Vydra didn’t have much an impact the last time he was at the Hawthorns, he is as good as anyone in front of goal in the Championship, and is exactly the sort of striker any promotion-chasing team needs.
Thus, with Vydra reportedly set to leave Derby this summer, Moore’s West Brom must seek to re-sign the exciting striker in a bid to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.
West Brom fans… what do you think? Let us know!
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