Football League World
·20 August 2024
West Brom make enquiry for Preston North End star
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Football League World
·20 August 2024
Will Keane is thought to be a target for Carlos Corberan, who will be keen to strengthen his squad.
West Bromwich Albion have submitted an enquiry for Preston North End striker Will Keane.
This is according to Pete O'Rourke, who believes the Preston man is firmly on West Brom's radar at this stage.
Albion have endured a fairly mixed transfer window - and have lost some key stars along the way.
Okay Yoksulu, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Connor Townsend have all departed The Hawthorns in recent weeks, creating voids for other players to fill.
Summer signings Ousmane Diakite and Paddy McNair can both play in the middle of the park as potential Yokuslu replacements - and Gianluca Frabotta has come in as a replacement for Townsend.
Devante Cole, meanwhile, is another option in the absence of Thomas-Asante, who has joined league rivals Coventry City.
Albion may have made plenty of signings, but Corberan may still have a decent amount to spend following the sales of some key players.
However, they have been placed under a business plan by the EFL, with the Baggies currently on course to breach profit and sustainability rules.
That could end up limiting the business they do between now and the end of the transfer window, but they still seem to be keen to pursue players who are under contract at other clubs and may only be able to be lured away permanently from their current teams.
The Baggies have enquired about Preston's Keane, according to O'Rourke.
It's unclear how much the Lilywhites will demand for him, but they are unlikely to let him go for cheap, considering how valuable he was at Deepdale last season.
Scoring 13 league goals last season and making plenty of valuable contributions in the final third, Preston may be keen to extend his contract.
His current deal expires in 2025 - and this could end up reducing his price tag if he doesn't sign a new deal in the coming weeks.
He was an unused substitute against Swansea City last weekend, with Emil Riis and Milutin Osmajic preferred as forward options, but it remains to be seen whether that's a sign of things to come for the Irishman, who will be keen to win as much game time as possible this term.
With Paul Heckingbottom now at the helm, Keane may want to see how much game time he's likely to get under his new boss before making a decision on his future.
At 31, Keane should still have a decent amount of time to make an impact at this level.
Although he may not be a long-term solution for the Baggies, he could be a good medium-term signing to have, as someone who knows this level already and can be a real threat in the final third.
Maja needs competition and Cole hasn't always thrived at this level, so the pair could benefit from having an extra option in the forward department.
This option can only help to raise performance levels - and it wouldn't be a surprise to see all three shine if Keane joins the Baggies.
These raised performance levels can only help Albion in their likely quest to secure a top-six place again.