da 888： As per the club’s official website, Championship side West Brom sealed deals for Jacob Murphy, Jefferson Montero, and Stefan Johansen on the final day of the January transfer window. Messrs Murphy and Johansen have dropped down a division from Premier League duo Newcastle United and Fulham respectively in a bid for first team football, while winger Montero made the move from fellow second tier side Swansea City to link up with Darren Moore’s men.
da pixbet： And with the three deals officially completed on Deadline Day, it’s fair to say that the Baggies did some brilliant business on the final day of the window, to the point that anything less than promotion this term would surely be a failure.
The Breakdown
Ultimately, Moore’s side are very well-placed to sustain a promotion challenge between now and the end of the season given they are currently sat fourth in the Championship table after 28 games of the season, trailing second place Norwich City by just four points.
And with the sheer amount of goals they have scored, having bagged a league-high 57 times already this term, the Midlanders are going to take some stopping in the final third of the field, even more so now following the arrival of wide men Murphy and Montero.
Newcastle’s Murphy has struggled to make a meaningful impact at St James’ Park following his move from Norwich City back in 2016, although eight goals and eight assists for the Canaries in the second tier in 2015/16 underlines his quality in the Championship – he appears to be the ideal man to take over from Harvey Barnes at West Brom following his recall by parent club Leicester City.
And 29-year-old Montero is another who will add even greater strength to the Baggies’ attacking ranks, what with the Ecuador international having only appeared 12 times for the Swans in the Championship this season, yet in that time managing to lay on three assists.
Clearly then, Moore is well catered-for down the flanks heading into the second half of the campaign, while the arrival of Fulham’s Johansen will add even more ability to the club’s midfield ranks.
The 28-year-old may have only mustered 12 Premier League appearances for relegation-threatened Fulham this time round, but one mustn’t forget the role he played in helping them win promotion from the Championship last term, bagging eight goals and laying on eight assists as the Cottagers won the play-offs.
Add that to the 11 goals and eight assists he contributed the season before as they also reached the top six, only to lose to Reading in the semi-finals of the play-offs, and it’s clear the pedigree he, and indeed the other two additions, have at Championship level – combine that with what West Brom already have, and it’s a frightening prospect for the rest of the division.
And such is the quality of the Deadline Day signings, alongside the Baggies’ position of fourth already this term, promotion could very much be on for the Midlanders after their excellent business on the final day of the January window – in fact, anything less than a return to the promised land would surely be a failure.
West Brom fans… what do you think? Let us know!