Bruce eyeing "inspirational" £27k-p/w gem for West Brom, he's a big Robinson upgrade - opinion

West Bromwich Albion are eyeing a move for Derby County winger Tom Lawrence this summer, he could be available on a free transfer.

According to a report from The Daily Mail, West Brom are leading the chase for Lawrence but face competition from several clubs including Scottish giants Rangers.

With his contract at The Rams expiring, he is set to leave for free with the club failing to persuade him to stay following their relegation to League One.

Baggies boss Steve Bruce is a known admirer of Lawrence, but he will have to fight off interest from elsewhere and offer him a lucrative deal if they want to complete the deal.

If he did make the move to the West Midlands, one player he would be competing with for a spot in the team is Callum Robinson, and he would certainly be an upgrade for Bruce.

Both wingers were directly involved in 16 goals in the Championship last season, but despite the similarities, this is more impressive from Lawrence who was playing for a side battling relegation.

Journalist Jake Barker also offered praise last season for his “inspirational” form.

The Welsh international was also captain for The Rams which shows the leadership qualities he has, and as Robinson doesn’t offer this as much, it would make him more valuable to the dressing room.

He’s a former youngster at Manchester United, having come through the academy during Sir Alex Ferguson’s final years at the club. This may be another reason why Bruce is a fan of his, considering their mutual affiliation to The Red Devils.

It’s not just in front of goal where the 28-year-old impresses though, his passing statistics stand out too. He has a pass success percentage of 83% which is significantly higher than Robinson on 69%.

This further proves his