"Earned the trust" - West Brom, Shilen Patel demand made ahead of summer transfer business | OneFootball

The Baggies will have some decisions to make once the current campaign comes to an end

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

West Bromwich Albion are set to have a busy summer transfer window ahead of them, whichever division the Baggies find themselves in come the end of the season.

Tony Mowbray’s side currently occupy the final play-off place with eight games remaining of the Championship season, with Bristol City being edged out on goal difference as it stands.

Whether the Premier League beckons or Albion face another season in the second tier, contract decisions will have to be made, while a number of top stars are likely to attract interest from clubs higher up the football pyramid.

With that in mind, we asked Football League World’s West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess about what he wants to see from his side during the off-season, with Albion still in a stage of transition with their playing squad.

Shilen Patel backed ahead of West Bromwich Albion transfer window

Albion largely had to work with their hands tied behind their back during the previous summer window, with the club placed under an EFL-imposed business plan which limited their transfer activity.

As a result, the Baggies had to be crafty with their business, with only Mikey Johnston, Torbjorn Heggem and Callum Styles costing a fee, while four free transfers and another quartet of loan deals completed their summer business.

While a number of big names left The Hawthorns at the same time, owner Shilen Patel has proven the club can operate on a shoestring budget compared to a lot of their divisional rivals and still succeed, with the current play-off push testament to their recruitment strategy.

As a result of that, Burgess is keen for that sort of squad building to continue in the coming months, with an emphasis on shrewd acquisitions and players who fit the club’s current profile, rather than splashing the cash all over the place.

When asked about demands for the off-season, the Baggies fan said: “My one wish for the summer transfer window would be that Albion keep following the direction they have taken since Shilen Patel took over.

“While we have been losing key players, we have been able to invest in the squad and try to decrease the age of the team, and investing in younger players, with Isaac Price being an example, who could potentially be sold on in the future.”

West Brom could be set for summer rebuild if Premier League promotion is missed

Albion have had a number of top performers this season, with Josh Maja top scorer with 12 league goals to his name, while the likes of Karlan Grant, and Alex Mowatt both have six goals apiece.

Academy graduate Tom Fellows has continued to impress on the flanks, with the 21-year-old racking up eleven assists across the campaign, making reported interest from Everton likely to resurface in the summer, esepcially if any potential play-off campaign ends in failure.

Having seen a number of key names walk out the door last summer, Albion are well-versed in replenishing their squad with cut-price options, and Burgess sees no reason why that can’t be repeated ahead of the 25/26 campaign.

Callum continued: “Albion might be losing a few key players in the summer; whether it is free transfers with John Swift and Grady Diangana’s contracts expiring, or there is bound to be interest in Josh Maja and Tom Fellows [pictured].

“But we know from last season - with the likes of Okay Yokuslu, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Conor Townsend leaving - we are able to replace those key players and potentially can build a better, well-rounded squad for it.

“So while we fans might be scared of losing key players in the summer, I think the ownership have earned the trust that they can find some gems overseas, or even in the lower end of the football pyramid.”