West Brom must now ditch £22.5k-p/w star who Bruce was “delighted” to sign

Carlos Corberan had his work cut out for him in the West Bromwich Albion dugout this summer, as a number of key players from last season all deserted the Hawthorns.

Brandon Thomas-Asante, Conor Townsend, Okay Yokuslu and Cedric Kipre were the main faces to leave who all played key roles in the Baggies securing a playoff finish, with the last of those named stinging the most, considering the imposing centre-back left the building for nothing.

Despite some significant changes to his starting XI, Corberan has managed to steer West Brom to a promising seven wins in Championship action to date, but will be wary about the prospect of more players upping and leaving for nothing down the line.

Out-of-contract West Brom players

There are a number of players in the Spaniard’s camp that can see the end of their West Brom careers looming large, with Kyle Bartley one who knows his contract runs out this coming summer, having previously lined up alongside Kipre week in week out.

The 33-year-old has been a staple of Corberan’s lineups ever since the ex-Huddersfield Town manager uprooted to the West Midlands, with 216 appearances under his belt now for the promotion chasers.

Therefore, the experienced defender should be under consideration for a new deal, despite being deep into the twilight years of his playing days.

Other faces that are soon to be out of contract include Grady Diangana, who has fallen down Corberan’s pecking order this season, alongside the likes of Jayson Molumby and Semi Ajayi elsewhere in the squad.

Whilst the Baggies boss ponders whether to keep these players around past next summer, he could well be tempted to just allow this West Brom star to leave now who has blown hot and cold far too often.

John Swift’s time at West Brom

Swift would have been viewed as a fantastic pick-up when he left Reading behind for pastures new at West Brom in 2022, having been a reliable source of goals and assists for the Royals in the EFL.

Indeed, the former Chelsea youth player would amass a mightily impressive 34 goals and 37 assists when donning Reading blue and white, before moving to a fresh challenge at the Baggies.

The move would have felt even sweeter to get over the line when you consider Swift also joined on a free transfer, with then Baggies manager Steve Bruce even stating how “delighted” he was that a deal could be reached to land such a seasoned Championship performer.

Whilst the West Brom number ten has shown his class at times at the Hawthorns, with nine strikes fired home last season as his side dreamed about promotion up to the Premier League, it goes without saying – when looking at his numbers for this campaign to date – that he is now short of his best.

There has been a noticeable decline in Swift’s creative flair this season, with zero goals and zero assists next to his name from his limited starts in the league, alongside the fact only one big chance has been created by the ageing 29-year-old when he has been unleashed into second-tier games.

Also boasting a hefty salary in the Championship side’s camp, with his £22.5k-per-week pay packet seeing him earn more than first-team regulars Karlan Grant, Alex Mowatt and Josh Maja, the time just feels right for West Brom to move on from the 6 foot attacking midfielder when his current deal runs out in 2025.

West Brom supporters will hold on to many a happy memory involving Swift, but with a new breed of exciting talents coming through in the form of Tom Fellows too, the Bruce signing’s days at the club appear numbered.