“Difficult” – Kevin Phillips issues West Brom transfer warning

New Baggies CEO Ron Gourlay last week claimed he wants the club to battle hard to keep away the vultures circling around West Brom’s most talented youngsters. 

But Phillips is not optimistic that there is much that the club can do to hold on to their brightest talents. 

Phillips believes the lack of opportunities afforded to players looking to make their breakthrough into the first team has meant that money has become a much greater incentive these days.

“It’s such a difficult one,” said Phillips, via West Brom News

“There are loads of variations why the players get their heads turned by big clubs promising this and that, they see the bright lights at the big clubs.

“These clubs can’t guarantee minutes so they want to go somewhere else and take the money, it’s really, really difficult. Until the powers that be come together and stop taking them at an age, then it is always going to happen, which is a shame.

“We’ve seen loads of young kids’ careers not take because they’ve had their heads turned and never get an opportunity.”

Since 2019, the club has lost the likes of Morgan Rogers for Manchester City.

Tim Iroegbunam, Finley Thorndike and Finn Azaz all departed for Aston Villa. 

It was only earlier this month that Chelsea took Leo Cardoso from the Baggies, who is only 15-years old. 

Reyes Cleary is the next in line at West Brom, with a lot of hope that he can make it big with the club.

But Premier League clubs are interested in the 17-year-old, with Arsenal one of the clubs said to be looking into bringing him to their club.

Young players can be the most talented underage player in the world and still not make their breakthrough into senior football.

That leaves young kids in the difficult position of needing to secure