It has been an fascinating season for West Bromwich Albion star Isaac Value, who began the 2025/26 marketing campaign in spectacular kind as an attacking midfielder.
The Northern Eire worldwide began the season in a midfield position within the first 11 video games of the Championship, scoring 5 targets and offering one help, suggesting he’s on observe for an actual breakout 12 months within the second tier.
Sadly, he has solely registered one objective and one help in his subsequent 18 league video games for the Baggies, and presently performs as both a right-back or proper wing-back underneath Eric Ramsey.
He has began in both of those two positions within the final 4 league video games, with West Brom dropping three and drawing one in video games in opposition to Leicester, Derby, Middlesbrough and Norwich.
West Brom in contract talks with Premier League expertise
Value misplaced seven of 11 video games and didn’t create a single likelihood for his team-mates in his final two video games taking part in as a right-back, a sign that he’s struggling in his new position.
However this is not an enormous shock. That is as a result of he is an attacking midfielder, taking part in out of place in a crew that’s clearly struggling given their current outcomes.
His struggles spotlight the necessity to signal a pure operator in that space of the pitch, with the membership reportedly contemplating signing extra gamers in that place.
West Brom wish to signal Crystal Palace right-back Danny Imlay on a late deal earlier than the January switch window closes, in response to Milke McGrath of the Telegraph.
The identical reporter claims the Baggies have made contact with the Premier League aspect to start negotiations to signal the younger defender to strengthen Ramsey’s defensive choices.
McGrath revealed the membership are aiming to signal the previous Blackpool star on mortgage till the tip of the season, however it stays to be seen whether or not there will probably be an choice to make the transfer everlasting in the summertime.
It’s now as much as West Brom to agree a take care of Palace and persuade Imlay to hitch the Hawthorns earlier than the window closes on Monday.
Why that is unhealthy information for Isaac Value
The membership’s pursuit of signing Imlay might be unhealthy information for Value. That is as a result of he might be a benchwarmer for the second half of the season.
West Brom’s Northern Irish prodigy has already been moved to a full-back position after his kind in entrance of objective has deteriorated, and modifications to the formation underneath Ramsey imply there isn’t any pure No. 10 within the system.
Because of this taking part in at right-back underneath the American tactician might be Value’s solely path to turning into an everyday starter, except he is ready to take up a large place forward of Mikey Johnston, Jed Wallace, Samuel Illing Jr. or Karlan Grant.
Nonetheless, Imlay’s arrival will imply he misses out on the possibility to play recurrently at right-back, as Palace’s gifted participant is a pure full-back who will be slotted into the wing and supply a higher-quality full-back in that place, as evidenced by the stats within the put up above.
He spent the primary half of the season on mortgage at Blackpool in League One, the place he attracted consideration for his attacking contribution, rating excessive amongst his positional colleagues in a number of key metrics following his six assists for Bromley in 2024/25.
25/26 League 1 | Danny Imray |
|---|---|
Look | 13 |
the objective | 2 |
help | 2 |
Variety of profitable dribbles per sport | 1.6 |
Tackles + Interceptions per sport | 1.3 |
Duels received per match | 4.4 |
Aerial duel success fee | 57% |
Statistics by Sofascore | |
As you possibly can see from the desk above, Imlay additionally offered defensive high quality for the Tangerines earlier this season, profitable nearly all of their aerial duels within the third tier.
Value, however, has misplaced 60% of his aerial duels within the championship to this point this season. This isn’t shocking for a participant who usually performs as an attacking midfielder, however it additional illustrates why signing a pure right-back is so urgently wanted.
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West Brom are reportedly eyeing a star participant who might be Eric Ramsey’s personal Chris Brunt.
The Northern Eire worldwide may due to this fact lose his place within the beginning XI and battle to maneuver again into full-back, and even additional up the pitch, if the Imlay deal goes by, as Palace’s teenager intends to improve him as a pure choice at right-back.
