Journalist makes claim on West Brom player’s future

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Romaine Sawyers could be one of the first names on the teamsheet at The Hawthorns next season despite being left out in the cold by Valerien Ismael, according to a prediction from journalist Josh Holland who spoke to Give Me Sport.

The 30-year-old is currently plying his trade at league rivals Stoke City following former manager Ismael’s decision to have Jake Livermore and Alex Mowatt as his two key starters, with then-loanee Jayson Molumby coming in and Robert Snodgrass returning from his injury woes to become a fourth option in the middle of the park.

However, they have endured multiple games this season with a shortage of orthodox midfield options because of injuries and suspensions, leading Taylor Gardner-Hickman to come in as a central midfield against Coventry City earlier this season.

Steve Bruce may utilise more than two central midfield players next season though as he looks to shake up his side in the summer – and a midfielder could be at the top of his transfer priority list despite already managing to get a permanent deal for Molumby over the line.

Sawyers’ contract in the West Midlands expires this summer though and it remains to be seen whether Bruce can persuade the Stoke loanee to sign an extension after being shipped out on a temporary spell by Albion earlier this term, although it’s thought they hold the option of extending his deal by 12 months.

One man who believes he could remain at The Hawthorns is reporter Holland, who thinks the 30-year-old would have been a regular starter if he had been available to the ex-Manchester United centre-back during the latter stages of the 2021/22 campaign.

He said: “I think if Bruce was in charge, Sawyers wouldn’t have been loaned out